Indian shooting legend Jaspal Rana, often known as one of the most decorated shooters the country has ever produced, passed away at the age of 49. Rana was serving as India’s high-performance pistol coach at the time of his death. As per National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, the former Asian Games champion and Dronacharya awardee breathed his last at a Delhi hospital on Thursday, June 11.
Rana recently underwent a medical procedure after he fell ill during the Indian contingent’s return from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. He was immediately hospitalised after landing in New Delhi and underwent a medical procedure to get a stent fixed. Jaspal Rana’s brother, Subash Rana spoke about it and said, "He initially mistook the discomfort for acidity and continued with his travel plans. However, the discomfort returned during the journey back to India, prompting immediate medical attention upon his arrival in Delhi."
After enjoying a highly-decorated career as a shooter, Rana went on to transform Indian shooting through his mentorship and coaching. One of the most notable contributions he made in coaching was mentoring Manu Bhaker and guiding her to secure a double bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A look at Jaspal Rana’s Shooting Career
Rana was born on June 28, 1976 in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand and went on to emerge as one of India’s finest pistol shooters. In his glorious career that spanned over two decades, Rana brought multiple laurels to the country. He announced himself on the global stage in 1994 when he won the junior world title in the 25m standard pistol in Milan. Over the years, he won 15 medals, including nine golds across four Commonwealth Games editions between 1994 and 2006.
In the Asian Games, he won eight medals, including four golds, between 1994 and 2006. During the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, he won three gold medals and equalled the then world record in 25m centre-fire pistol. In 1994, he was honored with the Arjuna Award and later the Padma Shri in 1997.
Later, under his coaching Manu Bhaker became the first Indian in the post-Independence era to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympics. Bhaker secured a bronze each in the women’s 10m air pistol and mixed team 10 m air pistol event in Paris.
