India, March 20 -- Caste has been a powerful tool for social exclusion in India. Whose food you are allowed to eat and who you can eat with is decided by your caste.

In the late 19th century, a young cricketer in Poona had to bear the brunt of atrocious caste hierarchy. However, his grit, determination, and talent made him break the barriers of caste and race to become one of the greatest cricketers in India. His name was Baloo Palwankar, or P Baloo, as he was popularly known. He was a left-arm spinner. His youngest brother Viththal, another legendary cricketer, wrote about Palwankar's struggles in his autobiography "Maze Kreedajeevan".

Born on March 19, 1876 in Dharwad, Palwankar belonged to a caste considered to be at the very bottom ...