Roshan Khan

Roshan Khan (26 November 1929 - 6 January 2006) was a squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1950s and early-1960s, and won the British Open title in 1957. His son Jahangir Khan became the world's leading squash player in the 1980s (and arguably the greatest player of all time).

Roshan is sometimes referred to as being the "cousin" of the two other leading Pakistani players of his time – the brothers Hashim Khan and Azam Khan – though he was not in fact a first cousin of the brothers, but more distantly related to them. He was also connected to them by marriage – Roshan's brother-in-law married a sister of Hashim and Azam's.

In 1949, Roshan finished runner-up to Hashim at the inaugural Pakistan Open. He went on to win that title three consecutive times between 1951 and 1953.

In 1956, Roshan faced Hashim in the final of the British Open (which was considered to be the effective world championship of the sport at the time), with Hashim winning 9-4, 9-2, 5-9, 9-5. The following year the pair met again in the British Open final, and this time Roshan won 6-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-1 to end Hashim's six-year reign as champion. Roshan made a third British Open final appearance in 1960, when he lost to Azam 9-1, 9-0, 9-0.

Roshan also won the US Open three times and the Canadian Open twice.

Roshan had two sons – Torsam Khan and Jahangir Khan – both of whom were groomed by Roshan to become top international squash players. Torsam reached a career-high ranking on World No. 13 in 1979, when he died of a heart attack while playing a tournament match in Australia at the age of 27. In the wake of Torsam's death, Jahangir considered quitting the game, but instead decided to pursue a career in the sport as a tribute to his brother. He went on to achieve unprecedented heights within the game – capturing ten British Open titles, six World Open titles, and enjoying a five-year unbeaten run which stretched to over 500 matches.

Roshan Khan died on 6 January 2006 in Karachi.

British Open final appearances

External links

* [http://www.squashtalk.com/pakistan/diner_khan2.htm The Khan Family, A Squash Dynasty Part II]
* [http://www.the-south-asian.com/Nov2001/Pakistan%20squash3.htm Pakistan Squash - The Khan Supremacy Part III]
* [http://www.squashtalk.com/html/news/jan06/news06-1-10.htm Article on Roshan Khan's death at squashtalk.com]