Former India shooter and coach Jaspal Rana passes away in New Delhi

Former India shooter and coach Jaspal Rana passed away in New Delhi after health complications. A decorated athlete with 15 Commonwealth Games medals, he was a transformative figure in Indian shooting as both a player and mentor to stars like Manu Bhaker.

Former India shooter and renowned coach Jaspal Rana passed away in New Delhi on Friday after battling health complications. He was admitted to Max Hospital in Saket, South Delhi, where he breathed his last, hospital officials confirmed.

Rana had reportedly fallen ill while returning from the ISSF World Cup in Munich on Thursday and later underwent a medical procedure in Delhi. His passing comes as a major blow to Indian shooting, where he played a transformative role both as an athlete and a coach.

A Decorated Career

One of India's most decorated shooters, Rana leaves behind a remarkable legacy spanning more than three decades. He remains India's most successful Commonwealth Games athlete, having won an extraordinary 15 medals -- nine gold, four silver and two bronze -- across the 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 editions of the Games.

His achievements extended well beyond the Commonwealth stage. Rana secured four gold medals and one silver at the Asian Games, including a gold medal at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games and a historic haul of three gold medals at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. At the 1994 World Shooting Championships in Milan, he clinched gold while setting a record score. He also equalled the world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event with an aggregate score of 590 during the 2006 Asian Games.

Known for his grit and determination, Rana famously won three gold medals in Doha despite competing with a high fever, a feat that remains one of the most celebrated achievements in Indian shooting history.

From Champion to Mentor

After retiring from competition, Rana devoted himself to coaching and talent development. As a junior national coach, he identified and nurtured several future stars, including Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary.

Despite a widely publicised fallout with Bhaker before the Tokyo Olympics, the two later reunited, with Rana playing a key role in her successful campaign that culminated in two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024. At the time of his death, Rana was serving as India's high-performance coach for pistol events. His contributions as both champion shooter and mentor have left an enduring mark on Indian sport.

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