Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 12: Indian shooting great Jaspal Rana, one of the country's most decorated marksmen and a renowned coach, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 49.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) confirmed that Rana breathed his last at a hospital in New Delhi. His death comes as a shock to the sporting fraternity, as he had recently undergone medical treatment after falling ill during the Indian contingent’s return journey from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany.
Rana was serving as the high-performance coach for India's pistol shooters and had played a pivotal role in nurturing several of the country's top shooting talents. He was widely credited with mentoring Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, who secured two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as well as shooters Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala and Chinki Yadav.
In recognition of his contribution to Indian shooting as a coach, he was honoured with the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2020. The NRAI had appointed him as high-performance coach for the 25m pistol discipline in February 2025.
Paying tribute, Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra described Rana as a gifted athlete who helped shape Indian shooting and carried the nation's pride on the international stage. He termed Rana's demise a huge loss to the sport.
As a shooter, Rana enjoyed a remarkable career spanning more than a decade. He first rose to prominence by winning gold in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event at the 1994 Asian Games and went on to become one of India's most successful shooters.
He won a total of 15 Commonwealth Games medals, including nine gold medals, making him one of India's most decorated athletes at the event. His outstanding achievements earned him the Arjuna Award at the age of 18, followed by the Padma Shri three years later.
One of the defining moments of his career came at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, where he clinched three gold medals and set a world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event.
Rana's passing marks the end of an illustrious chapter in Indian shooting, both as a champion athlete and as a mentor who helped shape the next generation of shooters.