Rajnath Singh, Pushkar Dhami pay tribute to Jaspal Rana in Dehradun

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the memorial ceremony for late shooting legend Jaspal Rana in Dehradun, paying floral tributes and offering condolences to the family of the celebrated athlete and coach.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday paid tributes to Indian shooting legend and Padma Shri awardee late Jaspal Rana on his Tehravin (13th-day memorial ceremony) held at Majhaun in Dehradun.

Rajnath Singh offered floral tributes to the portrait of the shooting legend and expressed his condolences to the bereaved family. He prayed for strength and courage for the family members as they continue to cope with the loss of one of India's most celebrated sportspersons and coaches.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also paid his respects to Rana and joined family members, friends, and dignitaries in remembering the athlete's remarkable contribution to Indian shooting. Several leaders attended the memorial ceremony, including Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Uttarakhand Cabinet Ministers Saurabh Bahuguna and Khajan Das, Members of Parliament Dr Mahesh Sharma, Ajay Bhatt, and Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi, MLA Pankaj Singh, and other dignitaries.

Remembering a Shooting Legend

Jaspal Rana, a Dronacharya Award-winning coach and recipient of the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri, passed away in New Delhi on June 13 after battling health complications. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital in South Delhi.

Widely regarded as one of India's greatest shooters, Rana enjoyed an illustrious career spanning more than three decades. He remains India's most successful athlete at the Commonwealth Games, winning 15 medals, including nine gold medals, across four editions of the competition.

His achievements also included four gold medals and one silver medal at the Asian Games, while he secured a gold medal at the 1994 World Shooting Championships in Milan with a record-setting performance. Rana also equalled the world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event during the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

After retiring from competitive shooting, Rana dedicated himself to coaching and talent development. As a mentor, he played a key role in nurturing several top Indian shooters, including Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary. At the time of his demise, Rana was serving as India's high-performance coach for pistol events, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Indian sport. (ANI)

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