Talent knows no excuses and purpose overcomes all Barriers

Cricket was in nascent stages in the 19th century British rule in India. Many British officers posted in India used to play the game and it was being adopted by a few Indians. Late in the 19th century, one Baloo Palwankar born in the so called 'lower caste' family was employed on a club cricket ground in Pune as a groundsman. As the story goes, one day JG Greig - an English batsman came early and he asked the 17 year old groundsman, Baloo, to roll his arm to give him batting practice. Baloo's father being a Sepoy in British army, Baloo and his brothers had played some cricket using cricket kits discarded by british army officers. So Baloo, rolled over his arm and bowled to Greig who was stunned by Baloo's natural talent to spin the ball, Apparently Greig would give Baloo '8 annas' (half a rupee) everytime Baloo took his wicket. Soon Baloo's reputation spread around and the team of local Indians were contemplating to include him in their team. Cricket was not just a game but it was an instrument for many of them to prove themselves equal to their then rulers! Well, including Baloo in a team of 'higher caste' players was not easy as India was cursed with the caste discrimination and coming even in contact with the so called 'lower castes' was beyond imagination. Finally their urge to defeat the British in their own game prevailed and Baloo was included in the team! Well it was a peculiar and sad story where he could never even take tea sitting with his 'higher caste' team-mates and he had to wash his own separate plate after eating the food, all this when he was the wizard on the cricket ground. Purely on his merit he was selected to play club cricket in Bombay and was a part of a historic win in 1906 against the British team. His talent also took him to England to play first class cricket when a first all India cricketers team was taken to England by ruler of Patiala in 1911. Baloo's heroics paved the way for his brothers to play cricket. So while members of a royal family viz Ranjitsinghji and Duleep Singhji are known to be the first 'cricket family' India has known, Palwankars also created than name for themselves! That is the power of talent that kings and paupers could earn the same distinction!! The story just doesn't stop here. Baloo's brother Vithal, a fine batsman and a hero for legendary Vijay Merchant, went on to captain the team in first class cricket in 1923 and after a famous victory was carried on the shoulders by his 'higher caste teammates' - unthinkable in those days where Mahatma Gandhi was just starting to plead his countrymen to treat the so called 'lower castes' as human beings!

The story of Palwankar brothers is important to me in so many ways not just because it started in my city Pune! The story tells me a few basics:

when you have a talent and don't give up easily, nobody can ignore you, provided you don't choose to pamper yourself in 'self-pity' . Years later, the 'polio kid' Bhagwat Chandrashekar - one of the main spinners of famous Indian spin quartet and 'one-eyed' Tiger Pataudi, one of the finest captains and batsman par excellence - exactly proved the point that Baloo had underlined decades earlier - "If you have talent and a will to slog, you can overcome all barriers - luck is an excuse of weak souls!"

P Vithal being carried by his 'higher caste' team mates on their shoulders also shows that while a group of people may be bound by some 'norms' which look non-negotiable, they can throw away those norms for a higher purpose that creates high emotion - defeating the masters in their own game was significantly more to many than just a sports victory!

Key questions, organizations need to answer : " Are we creating a purpose so strong that helps people join hands leaving behind petty differences?"

A key question every professional must answer: "Have I been committed enough to slog and back my talent to the fullest"

Answers to these two questions will help organizations and professionals thrive!