Syed Asif Quadri was an Indian Tennis Player. He was the number 1 in tennis in Hyderabad State and Mysore State and number 2 in all of India during the 1950s and early 1960s. He also represented India at the Wimbledon championships in 1954. He is also a noted entrepreneur of India.
Early Life of Syed Asif Quadri
Syed Asif Quadri was born on 19th November in the year 1936. He was a top seeded tennis player of India and outstanding sportsman. Syed Asif Quadri was born in Hyderabad city, the capital city of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He is the son of the famous educationist Syed Ahmed Quadri and Mehrunnisa Begum. Syed Asif Quadri spent his childhood and teen years in Hyderabad city. His mother had returned to England when he was barely 13, and he was thus brought up primarily by his father Syed Ahmed Quadri, who became his constant mentor, guide and friend. His father groomed Syed Asif Quadri in sports, and he excelled. His schooling was at Madrasa-e-Aliya from where he passed out in 1952. He then joined Nizam College in Hyderabad and completed his B.Sc. in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry in the year 1956.
Career of Syed Asif Quadri
Syed Asif Quadri started his sports career very early, and was a member of the Madrasa-e-Aliya school cricket team from 1950 to 1952. During the same period Syed Asif Quadri was also chosen to play cricket for the Hyderabad schools as well. He was considered to be a star batsman and contributed to numerous wins and records for his tem. The first time Hyderabad team reached the final of Roushan Ara Tournament, he had the highest average along with a record partnership for the 8th wicket in the All India schools tournament. He then played for the Junior State team of Hyderabad for two years from 1954 to 56. Later on, he continued his cricket career when he played for Mysore University in 1959 and captained the Bangalore Engineering College team in 1960-61.
Career of Syed Asif Quadri in Tennis
The fame of Syed Asif Quadri knew no bounds in tennis. He was the tennis player of Hyderabad State in Juniors from 1951 to 1954, and No.1 in Seniors of the State in 1955-1956. As a Junior, Syed Asif Quadri also won Northern India Singles and Doubles in 1953 and All India hard court Doubles 1954 by beating Ramnath Krishnan. After his move to Mysore State at the end of 1956, he remained at the top in of the State from 1957 to 1961 as Mysore No.1. While he was always at the top in State tennis, he was also no. 2 in all of India next to Ramnath Krishnan. In 1954, he was chosen to represent India at the Wimbledon championship in the UK along with Ramnath Krishnan.
Other Career of Syed Asif Quadri
In addition to tennis and cricket, Syed Asif Quadri excelled in softball and golf as well. He was also on the Mysore State softball team from 1958 to 1961.He maintained his sportsmanship through golf championships. He won several golf tournaments in Hyderabad, India along with the Rais Jung Open Championship of Hyderabad in 1985. He was the runner up in a national tournament in 1984.
Syed Asif Quadri as an Engineer
Syed Asif Quadri chose to become an engineer instead of a professional sportsman. Soon after his graduation, he was offered a scholarship by AEG to specialize in switchgear at Stuttgart, Germany. In his excitement, he started to learn German language. In the meantime, Syed Asif Quadri was offered a job as a trainee in Standard Oil Company (Mobil) in 1962 and he opted for it while hoping to go to Germany. When Syed Asif Quadri returned from his training, he found out to his dismay that his father had written to AEG declining to send him to Germany. He could feel that his father was not prepared to let him go away out of love, and he accepted this as such. In the meantime, his cousin Kazi Abdur Rasheed also arranged for him to proceed to the USA to do his masters degree, but in deference to his father"s wishes he remained behind in India to work with Standard Oil Company.
Personal Life of Syed Asif Quadri
Syed Asif Quadri married his cousin and a widow Malik Taj Ahmed, also known as "Qutub Begum" in 1986. Malik Taj was widowed one year earlier in 1985 and has three children from her first marriage. She lives now with Syed Asif Quadri in California.
