Bawa spent five productive seasons of junior hockey in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers, but was passed over in the NHL Entry Draft.
While Bawa had been primarily a skill player in junior, he began to fight more often in pro hockey and developed into an enforcer.
[citation needed] He averaged over 200 penalty minutes in his first three years in Washington's system, finally earning a five-game callup to the Capitals in 1989–90, during which he scored his first NHL goal, against Alain Chevrier and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bawa played one more season in the Capitals' system, posting 381 penalty minutes in Fort Wayne but not seeing any more NHL action, before being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks in 1991.
[citation needed] Bawa is the first person of Indian descent to play in the NHL, where he achieved six goals and one assist in 61 games, while collecting 60 penalty minutes.