The first Century in the first Ranji Trophy Cricket was scored by “Syed Mohammad Hadi”. The first edition or introductory Ranji Trophy Tournament was organized in the year 1934-35, under BCCI and is the First-Class Cricket.
He was a Hyderabadi by birth. It won’t be wrong if he is remarked as the most gifted pioneer athlete of India. He represented India in many sports other than Cricket are Tennis, Hockey, Soccer, Table Tennis, Chess, and Polo. Because of his expert gameplay of 7 different sports tagged him with a nickname of “Rainbow Hadi”.
In Tennis, he was the first Indian Tennis Player who participated at the Olympics i.e. Summer Olympics in 1924. Till 1941, as a Cricketer he played for the Hyderabad XI in the Ranji Trophy. As well as, became the first player to score a century in the first edition of Ranji Trophy. As far as education is concerned, he had an MA degree from the University of Cambridge and a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
He founded the 'Hyderabad Football Association' and 'Hyderabad Cricket Association' in Hyderabad with his brothers. All his brothers were also sportsperson and played different sports. After retiring from sports career, he became the Director of Physical Education in Hyderabad. Then, later, he was chosen as the Joint Secretary of Education in the Indian Government. He was actively involved in the Scout Movement and received the ‘Wood Badge’. Ultimately, he became the National Commissioner of ‘Boy Scouts of India’. He was also the first Secretary of the newly formed ‘All India Council for Sports’ in 1959.
He died at the age of 72 on July 14, 1971, at his birth city of Hyderabad, after suffering from a long illness of Lung Cancer.
