Japan issues commemorative stamp to celebrate Jahangir Khan’s career

TOKYO: The Japanese government has paid tribute to the squash legend of Pakistan, Jahangir Khan, by issuing commemorative stamp in his name.

According to sources in the Japanese government, Jahangir will also soon be invited to their country where an event would be organised to celebrate his success.

The squash legend is famed for winning 555 matches, which is a record yet to be broken.

During his career as a professional squash player, Jahangir won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times.

In 1981, Jahangir — aged 17 — became the youngest winner of the World Open, beating Australia's Geoff Hunt in final. That tournament also marked the start of an unbeaten run, which lasted for five years and 555 matches which finally came to end in the final of the World Open in 1986 in France when he lost to Ross Norman.

In his book Winning Squash, Jahangir Khan mentions how his future was brushed aside in the beginning.

“I was told I would never become world champion. I was the youngest, smallest, feeblest and sickest of the family,” he writes in the book. “Neither the doctor nor my father believed there was any chance for me to become a good squash player.”