‘Ballu’ aka Balwant Singh Sagwal
The Player of the Volleyball Balwant Singh, popularly referred to by the name ‘Ballu’, was the leader of the Indian Volleyball team. With many memorable accomplishments in his pockets and his personal achievements, he left his impression on the story of Indian Volleyball. Born in a tiny village known as Kaul located in Haryana, Sagwal won hearts across the nation.
Ramana Rao(Director, FIVB Regional Development Centre) was his former teammate In an interview, he reminisced, “Ballu was an outstanding player for India and is an international player. He was a competitor to the very core.”
What is the Making of Volleyball player Balwant Singh Sagwal?
Balwant Singh Sagwal is also known as Ballu was a tall, clumsy and tense boy during his childhood. Physically, he stood 6 feet, 6 inches in height (1.98 meters) with similarly large fingers and big feet. From a difficult financial background, he enlisted in BSF, the Border Security Force (BSF) in Jalandhar, Punjab.
BSF has always enjoyed an enviable reputation for producing top volleyball players, and Balwant Singh was no exception.
In the 1960s and the 1970s, ‘Ballu’ was instrumental in aiding his team of state Punjab to reach national glory. He was awarded the country’s most prestigious sporting award and the Arjuna Award, for his contributions to the game, outstanding sporting ability, and his contribution to the nation’s team.
The volleyball player Balwant Singh Sagwal was a player for India in the Asian Games of 1970, 1974, and 1978. Ballu also played in match matches with India in the years 1970, 1978, and in 1980.
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At the beginning of the National Volleyball Championship participated by Sagwal in 1965, he continued to participate in the Nationals until 1988. Between 1968 and 1981, Punjab was able to win National Championships an astonishing 10 times. The reason for this was because of the heroic efforts of Balwant Singh Sagwal.
Ballu was also part of The All India Police Games from 1966 until 1990, representing Punjab Police and BSF.
Volleyball player Balwant Singh’s highlights from his career
Ballu is the reason for Punjab’s success in the game. His destiny led him to join the Border Security Force, in Jalandhar which was known for its top volleyball players of the time. After completing his training his incredible career took off at the national volleyball tournament in 1965. Due to his skill, the player continued to play in the national championships until 1988. The 6'6" player was instrumental in helping Punjab achieve his place in the National Championships ten times. His outstanding performance earned him the chance to represent India in the Asian Games of 1970, 1974, and 1978. He also participated in a test matches for India in the years 1970, 1978, and 1980 as and during the All India Police Games from 1966 until 1990.
The year 1972 was the year his unwavering sporting performance, professionalism, and participation in the national team won the volleyball player Balwant Singh the nation’s top honor in sports in 1972, the Arjuna award. The academy he founded continues to carry his legacy. A stadium was named after him. The legendary player breathed his final breath at 65 on the 14th of November 2010. October 2010. His son Narender is part of the Indian volleyball team and continues to carry the tradition forward.
