Dina Sanichar: The Feral Boy Who Inspired the Jungle Book

The story of Dina Sanichar, a feral boy who was found in the jungles of India in 1867, has been immortalized by Rudyard Kipling’s classic novel The Jungle Book. Born to a poor family in the Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, Dina was abandoned as an infant and raised by wolves until he was discovered at age six. His story inspired Kipling to write his beloved children’s book, which tells the tale of Mowgli, a young boy raised by animals in the jungle. When British soldiers stumbled upon him living with wolves in 1867, they brought him back to civilization and tried to teach him human ways. He had difficulty adapting and often ran away from home or school. In spite of this, he learned how to speak English and even mastered some arithmetic skills. He eventually settled down and lived out his life peacefully at an orphanage near Agra until his death at age 32. Dina’s remarkable story has been retold countless times over the years, inspiring many adaptations of The Jungle Book including Disney’s 1967 animated film and its 2016 live-action remake. His story is also featured prominently in various books about feral children such as Wolf Child: A True Story (1955) by Mary Hays Weikert and Wolf Boys (2016) by Dan Smith. Dina Sanichar remains one of history’s most famous feral children – a reminder that humans can adapt even under extraordinary circumstances if given enough time and support. His legacy will continue to live on through literature for generations to come.