Indian Shooting Legend Jaspal Rana Passes Away at 49

Rana Dies After Sudden Health Complications

At the time of his death, he was serving as High-Performance Coach of Indian pistol shooters and had recently become ill returning from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. 

Rana fell unwell during the flight back to New Delhi and was taken to the hospital immediately after his arrival. Following various tests, it was discovered that he required a stent procedure, which unfortunately the coach could not recover from.

PM Modi Mourns Loss of Shooting Legend

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the passing away of Rana and expressed that his demise is a deep loss to Indian sports.

"Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri Jaspal Rana Ji. His passing is a profound loss to the world of Indian sports," the Prime Minister said.

He added, "He brought immense glory to the nation through his extraordinary achievements in shooting. Equally remarkable was his contribution as a mentor, shaping and guiding young athletes with great dedication. His unwavering commitment to excellence, discipline and service to the sporting world earned him immense admiration. My thoughts are with his family, friends and the entire sporting fraternity in this hour of grief. Om Shanti.”

Abhinav Bindra Pays Tribute to Rana

India's Olympic gold medalist in shooting, Abhinav Bindra, said Rana made India proud globally.

“Heartbroken to hear about Jaspal Rana’s passing. Jaspal was my teammate, and in many ways, part of a generation that helped shape Indian shooting. He was intense, gifted, and carried the pride of the country every time he stepped onto the range,” Bindra said.

Mentored Manu Bhaker to Olympic Success

Considered one of India's best shooters, Rana had an illustrious career before he became a coach and left an equal mark in the field. Rana devoted himself towards mentoring young talent. 

After being appointed the Junior National Pistol Coach in 2012, Rana played an integral role in grooming some of the biggest stars in Indian shooting, and also helped in grooming Olympian and gold medalist Manu Bhaker, with whom she made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics winning two bronze medals.

Rana's way of recreating the Olympic match conditions was greatly appreciated.

Decorated Career in International Shooting

Born in Uttarakhand on June 28, 1976, Rana brought India tremendous fame. Rana specialized in pistol shooting events, and had won 15 gold medals altogether in high-quality events. 

Of these, he had won 4 Asian Games gold, 9 Commonwealth Games gold, one Asian Championship gold and one World Junior Championship gold medals from 1994 to 2006.

For his significant contribution to the development of Indian shooting, the government honoured him with the Dronacharya award in 2020.