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Jaspal Rana, Asian Games gold medallist and Indian shooting coach, dies at 49
Jaspal Rana, the Asian Games gold medallist and Indian shooting coach, died on Thursday night at the age of 49.
Indian shooting great Jaspal Rana, winner of multiple Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medals, died on Thursday night at the age of 49. According to news agency PTI, National Rifle Association of India president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo confirmed that Rana breathed his last at a Delhi hospital. Rana’s passing comes as a major shock as he had recently undergone a medical procedure after falling ill during the Indian contingent’s return flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. Rana, who was serving as the high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters, began feeling unwell during the return journey and was taken to a hospital immediately after landing in Delhi last week.
Rana was known for transforming Indian shooting through his roles as a junior national team coach and high-performance trainer. He also mentored Manu Bhaker, helping her secure a historic double bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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His coaching tenure also saw him groom young shooters such as Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala, and Chinki Yadav. The National Rifle Association of India had appointed him as a high-performance coach for the 25m pistol discipline in February 2025.
For his contributions to the sport, the government awarded him the Dronacharya Award in 2020.
India's Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra took to social media on Friday morning to pay his condolences. “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,” he wrote on X.
“This is a huge loss for our sport. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, students and everyone whose life he touched,” he added.
Jaspal’s shooting career
Jaspal is widely known for his coaching achievements over the past few years, but his impact as a player is equally memorable. Born in 1976, Rana emerged as a rising star in Indian shooting, winning gold in the 25 metre Centre Fire Pistol event at the 1994 Asian Games. He went on to become one of India’s most decorated shooters, winning medals across the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and other international competitions.
He remains one of India’s most successful CWG athletes, with 15 medals in total, including 9 gold. His early success in the sport earned him the Arjuna Award at 18, and just three years later, he was conferred the Padma Shri.
Rana's most iconic performance came at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, where he won three gold medals and set a world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event. He represented India in four Commonwealth Games editions - 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.
