ASIAN ICE HOCKEY

In our previous piece on India’s recent hockey breakthroughs, we spotlighted the Ladakh region as a surprising epicenter of the game’s domestic development – from high-altitude tournaments to grassroots programs in the Himalayas.

How Canada’s South Asian Diaspora Is Fueling India’s Hockey Dreams

But while the story unfolds on frozen lakes in northern India, another chapter is being written thousands of kilometers away in Canada. In 2017, a new initiative called Apna Hockey took shape, aiming to unite and uplift the South Asian hockey community across North America. The name “apna” comes from Punjabi, meaning “ours” – a nod to both cultural pride and community spirit.

Apna Hockey Founders With a Mission

Apna Hockey was founded by Dampy Brar and Lakndeep “Lali” Toor, two former players from Canada’s Punjabi community. Of the duo, Brar had the more prominent playing career, making it as far as the ECHL and IHL. Together, they launched Apna with a clear goal: to increase diversity and inclusion within Canadian hockey while supporting the development of South Asian talent.

Their approach blends on-ice training with off-ice mentorship – organizing hockey camps, offering personal guidance, and managing a strong social media presence to inspire the next generation. Within just three years, their impact was recognized on hockey’s biggest stage, as the NHL honored Brar with the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. (1, 2)

Looking Beyond Borders: Apna’s Vision for Indian Ice Hockey

While Apna’s mission is broader and rooted in the North American experience, part of its long-term vision includes raising the profile of Indian ice hockey and laying the groundwork for grassroots development back in India.

The founders believe that players of Indian heritage within the Apna network could one day contribute directly to the sport’s growth in the country – whether through coaching, mentorship, or even, in the case of naturalization, as future national team players.

In an interview with Baaznews.org in 2021, Lali Toor even floated the possibility of Olympic ambitions: (3)

Such a scenario would, of course, hinge on naturalization – a strategy far from unprecedented. In fact, our coverage of China’s 2022 Olympic roster dives into how several national teams – including Italy and Great Britain – have leaned heavily on heritage players from Canada and the U.S. to accelerate their international competitiveness.

Two Paths, One Dream: Skating Toward the Olympics

What’s becoming increasingly clear is that two parallel movements are working toward the same ambitious goal: putting India on the global hockey map and, ultimately, under the Olympic rings.

One path runs through official channels – the domestic hockey efforts centered in Ladakh and other Himalayan regions. The other stems from the Indian diaspora in Canada, particularly the Punjabi community that has rallied around Apna Hockey. While their approaches differ, the destination is shared: a future where Indian ice hockey earns its place on the world stage.

Building Bridges With Hockey Icons: Apna’s First Steps Toward India

Apna Hockey has pursued international reach from day one – including direct collaboration with India. In late 2017, Apna stepped in early on an NHLPA-supported initiative featuring a female hockey legend and an NHL veteran to visit Ladakh, a trip centered on donating equipment and building a working relationship.

Apna and Wickenheiser Join Forces: Indian Women’s Team Hits the Ice at WickFest

In April 2018, Apna donated and helped raise over 80,000 Canadian dollars to enable the Indian women’s team to attend Hayley Wickenheiser’s WickFest 2018 in Calgary. Apna then co-led planning and logistics, and its coaches were on the Indian women’s bench during games.

In early 2019, Apna’s Dampy Brar traveled to Ladakh to reconnect with the players and run skill-development camps, and also delivered inline hockey sessions in Punjab. (4)

The most recent publicly visible collaboration was the December 2024 visit of India’s women’s team and talented youth to the Calgary Flames. (5)

Early Connections Paving the Way for Long-Term Hopes

Overall, ties between Indian hockey officials and Apna do not appear to be a long-term, formal partnership; rather, they’ve been ad-hoc collaborations around specific projects.

But the goals are clear – as Lali Toor told NHL.com: (6)

According to Toor, expats will play a key role in the entire process, as he expects them to become more actively involved in the country of their ancestors in the future: (7)

He also speaks about the potential to connect two worlds – the Indian community in Canada and the homeland movement in India itself:

☸️🏒 India has launched a bold project
aimed at the 2042 Winter Olympics.
Curious to learn more? Click HERE.

Apna Brings Team India (Heritage) to the Amerigol Latam Cup

Amerigol Latam Cup is a fast-growing international tournament – rapidly becoming a global showcase for emerging hockey nations, with backing from the NHL. It was Apna Hockey that, in August 2025, put together the first-ever Indian team to compete at the tournament.

While not a national team in the strictest sense, the squad qualified as a heritage team under tournament rules, which allowed participation if a player had at least one parent or grandparent born in India. (8)

Apna led the entire selection process and handled fundraising efforts to make the team’s debut possible. The roster, coached by Lali Toor himself, featured 16 players of Indian heritage born in Canada or the United States – some of whom had experience in pro leagues, NCAA, or the WHL. (9)

Making History with Wins Over Pakistan, Mexico, and Armenia

Team India (Heritage) competed in the Exhibition Bracket, playing four games in total. The squad secured three wins – against Pakistan, Mexico, and Armenia – and recorded just one loss, falling to the South Florida Selects.

For more on Team India’s journey at the Latam Cup – and a deeper look at India’s historic hockey milestones in 2025 – check out our full feature.

Will the Streams Converge? Apna’s Role in Shaping India’s Hockey Future

It will be fascinating to watch how Apna Hockey’s work continues to evolve – and, in particular, how its relationship with Indian hockey officials develops over time. One especially compelling dimension is the ethnic and cultural connection: a potential bridge between Ladakh and the Punjabi diaspora in Canada.

Will these two streams someday merge into a single, powerful river that unites Indian hockey? Whatever the outcome, Apna has the potential to leave a lasting mark on the sport’s history in India.

Sources, Quotes and Notes:

1. hockeyinsociety.com/2019/08/02/guest-post-apna-hockey-growing-the-game/
2. nhl.com/news/dampy-brar-wins-willie-o-ree-community-hero-award-318937308
3. baaznews.org/p/nhl-adding-diversity-fighting-racism
4. hockeyinsociety.com/2019/08/02/guest-post-apna-hockey-growing-the-game/
5. instagram.com/p/DDL6bVRSEfF/13-forever-in-hearts-%EF%B8%8F-johngaudreau03-posted-withregram-apnahockey-apna-hockey-w/
6. nhl.com/news/india-and-pakistan-teams-make-history-with-impromptu-latam-cup-scrimmage
7. nhl.com/news/color-of-hockey-2025-amerigol-latam-cup-preview
8. amerigolhockey.com/news/psa-understanding-the-classic-and-heritage-classif
9. gamesheetstats.com/seasons/10684/teams/378425/team-stats