Tillway Talk

Remembering Baloo Palwankar, one of India's finest cricketers, on his birth anniversary. He is considered to be one of the greatest cricketers in Indian cricket history. Baloo Palwankar, the left-arm orthodox spinner who could turn the bow both ways with immaculate accuracy, was probably the greatest Indian cricketer of the early 20th century. He was the first person of the Dalit community to make a significant mark in the world of sports and was also a political activist. Palwankar Baloo was born on 19th March 1876 in Dharwad, Bombay Presidency, British India. Born as the eldest of four brothers, Baloo had the good fortune of having a father who had enlisted in the British Indian Army as a sepoy in the 112th Infantry Regiment. Growing up, Baloo and his brothers played cricket with equipment left behind by officers stationed in Pune. For many, joining the army offered temporary relief from the oppressive caste hierarchies, and a shot at a decent livelihood. In 1892, the Poona Club