Dampy Brar grew up in Sparwood, B.C., Canada and became obsessed with hockey from an early age.  In that small town, there were no other Asian Indian heritage players who were a role model for Dampy.  

Dampy was a star on the ice from an early age and became a legend in Sparwood.  He continued to excel and in 1995 he headed to Concordia College.  He continued to prosper there and then went on to play pro hockey.  His career started in Las Vegas and he finished his rookie career in San Antonio.  He continued to play professional hockey for close to a decade.  Having grown up in a small town in Canada with other Indian hockey players, Dampy did not have to deal with racial issues growing up.  However, once he became a pro and headed to the US, the racial issues loomed large.

Noting the issues that South Asians and other people of color deal with led him to co-found Apna Hockey.  The organization is a network and resource for South Asians wanting to play the sport of hockey.  His work on and off the ice led Dampy to win the NHL Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award in September 2020.