Palwankar Baloo


Palwankar Baloo was the first Dalit to become a cricketer and was also a politician.

Early life

Palwankar Baloo was born in Chambhar caste into Dharwad, Bombay Presidency, British. His father was a sepoy in the 112th Infantry Regiment of British Indian Army. Baloo played cricket with equipment left behind by officers stationed in Pune.
Baloo had three brothers, Palwankar Shivram, Vithal Palwankar and Palwankar Ganpat, who later became known as cricket players.

Cricket career

He started working as a groundsman maintaining the pitch for the Parsis in Pune and later at the British Poona Gymkhana where he occasionally bowled to J.G Grieg, an English batsman. He learned spin bowling.and because of Grieg's influence he began to play for the Pune Hindu club. The club had been reluctant to let him play because of his "untouchable" caste..
In 1896, he moved to Bombay and got selected into Parmanandas Jivandas Hindu Gymkhana and played both Bombay Quadrangular tournaments.
He got a job in the Bombay Berar and Central Indian Railways and also played for its corporate cricket team.
He played in all-Indian team of 'Maharaja of Patiala' to tour England in 1911, the tour was a failure, but Baloo's outstanding performance was well praised.
Throughout his career in cricket Baloo was not equal. He faced much discrimination because of his caste. Whilst he played at Pune, during the tea interval at matches his tea was brought outside to him in a disposable cup. He could not drink it in the pavilion. His lunch was served at a separate table. If he wanted to wash his face a fellow Dalit attendant would bring him water in a corner. Things seem to have improved when he moved to Bombay and afterwards but he was denied the captaincy of the Hindu team in the Quadrangular Tournament.
He is considered to be one of the greatest cricketers in Indian cricket history.

Politics

He died in 1955 and funeral was attended by many national leaders as well as cricketers.