Jaspal Rana, legendary shooter and coach, passes away at 49 in Delhi

Legendary Indian shooter and Dronacharya Award-winning coach Jaspal Rana has passed away at the age of 49 in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu paid condolences, remembering his exceptional performances and contribution to Indian sports.

President Droupadi Murmu paid his condolences on the death of former Asian Games gold medallist and Dronacharya Award-winning coach Jaspal Rana. The 49-year-old 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.

President Murmu shared a post on X and wrote, "The news of the passing of Shri Jaspal Rana Ji is extremely sad. He was a renowned shooter whose exceptional performances brought glory to the nation. A winner of several medals at global shooting competitions, he established himself as an icon of Indian sports. As an athlete and mentor, he made a lasting contribution by nurturing young talent. His dedication, discipline and commitment to excellence will continue to inspire generations of sportspersons. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the sports community."

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 Legacy

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. 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 Athlete 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.

He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 1997 for his contributions to Indian shooting. He was awarded the Dronacharya Award in 2020. At the time of his death, Rana was serving as India's high-performance coach for pistol events. (ANI)

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