Dina Sanichar

Dina Sanichar (1860/1861–1895) was an Indian feral child discovered in a cave in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, in 1867 and later raised at the Sikandra orphanage in Agra.

Dina Sanichar (1860/1861–1895) was an Indian feral child discovered in a cave in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, in 1867. He was found living among wolves and later raised at the Sikandra orphanage in Agra, but never learned to speak. He is sometimes identified as a possible inspiration for Mowgli in Rudyard Kipling’s *The Jungle Book*.

Early life and discovery

Sanichar was likely born in 1860 or 1861 and was discovered around age six in February 1867 in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. Contemporary and later accounts describe him as living among wolves before being found by hunters.

Life at the orphanage

After his discovery, Sanichar was sent to the Sikandra orphanage in Agra. Reports describe him as failing to acquire spoken language despite long-term contact with other humans.

Health and death

Sanichar’s later life is described as medically and socially difficult, and he was said to have been a heavy smoker in some accounts. He died in 1895, with tuberculosis given as the cause.

Cultural legacy

Sanichar is widely discussed as a classic case of a feral child in popular history. Some accounts suggest he may have inspired Mowgli in Rudyard Kipling’s *The Jungle Book*, but this remains unconfirmed.