Jaspal Rana, a former Asian Games medalist and well-known Indian shooting coach, passed away at the age of 49.
Rana, who trains a number of Indian pistol shooters, including two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, was the high-performance coach for Indian pistol competitions.
Rana was brought to the hospital after experiencing pain on her way home to India from the ISSF World Cup in Munich.
Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), expressed his condolences on Rana’s passing. “It’s a huge loss. He was an excellent instructor as well as a champion marksman. He said he would miss him terribly.
India’s most successful athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games was Rana, who earned several medals at the international stage.
Rana won 15 medals—9 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze—across four editions of the Games: 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006. He has won eight medals in the Asian Games in the 1994, 1998, and 2006 versions.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences on the passing of legendary Indian shooter and high-performance coach Jaspal Rana, calling it a great loss to the world of Indian sports.
“Deeply saddened by Shri Jaspal Rana Ji’s passing. Indian athletics has suffered a great deal from his demise. Through his extraordinary accomplishments in shooting, he gave the country great honor. His commitment as a mentor, shaping and supporting youthful athletes, was equally amazing. His unwavering commitment to excellence, discipline, and service to the athletic community garnered him tremendous respect. At this sad time, I offer his family, friends, and the entire athletic community my condolences.Om Shanti!“, PM Modi posted the message on X.
During his stellar playing career, Rana, one of India’s most accomplished pistol shooters, won numerous Asian Games gold medals and 15 Commonwealth Games medals.
He transitioned into a highly successful coaching career after retiring, mentoring superstars like Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala, and Manu Bhaker to build a strong talent pipeline for India. In 2020, he received the esteemed Dronacharya Award.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his condolences and described Rana’s passing as a huge loss to Indian sports. The sudden passing of Jaspal Rana, a shooter of international renown, has left me deeply saddened and shocked. Jaspal was a really modest, kind-hearted, and straightforward man in addition to being an excellent coach and athlete. He had a very important part in making shooting popular as a sport in India. “, Rajnath Singh stated on X.
By winning gold medals for India at the World Shooting Championship and the Asian Games, Jaspal Rana brought the nation great honor throughout the globe. The Indian sporting community suffered a great setback with his death. May God give his grieving family the strength to endure this tremendous suffering. At this trying moment, I want to express my sincere sympathy to his fans and family. He continued, “Om Shanti!”
For his contributions to Indian shooting, Rana received the Arjuna Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 1997. In 2020, Rana was awarded India’s top honour for sports instruction, the Dronacharya Award, in recognition of his coaching quality.