Balwant Singh Sagwal was a prominent Indian volleyball player. Sagwal was affectionately called as Ballu and was considered a star of the India men`s national volleyball team. During the mid-1960s and 1970s, this 6 feet 6 inches tall player was responsible for helping Punjab achieve national success. He is also termed as a world class attacker. Sagwal was honoured with Arjuna Award. His son Narender is also a professional Volleyball player. He plays for Indian volleyball Team.

Early Life of Balwant Singh Sagwal
He was born in the village of Kaul in the Kaithal district in the Haryana state of India.

Career of Balwant Singh Sagwal
Sagwal was from a modest background. He joined the Border Security Force (BSF) in Jalandhar, Punjab, which was notable for producing quality volleyball players at the time.

In the year 1965, Sagwal played his first National Volleyball Championship and he continued to play in the Nationals till 1988. He played for India in Asian Games of 1970, 1974, and 1978. He also played test matches for India in 1970, 1978 and 1980. In the years between 1968 and 1981, Punjab won National Championships 10 times largely due to the performance of Sagwal. He also participated in the All India Police Games from 1966 to 1990 representing Punjab Police and BSF.

Award of Balwant Singh Sagwal
His excellent sportsmanship and contribution to the national team made him win the country`s top sporting honour, the Arjuna Award in 1972.

Legacy of Balwant Singh Sagwal
Sagwal ran a volleyball academy in Kaul, and a stadium was named after him. He breathed his last on 14 November 2010. He was 65 year old. After his death, Kaul Village and his son Narender organised Balwant Singh Ballu Memorial tournament.

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