Former Asian Games gold medallist and coach Jaspal Rana passes away at 49

Former Asian Games gold medallist and renowned shooting coach Jaspal Rana passed away at the age of 49. According to officials, Rana died at a hospital in New Delhi after recently undergoing a medical procedure following a health emergency during the Indian contingent's return flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. He had been serving as the high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters at the time of his death.

Rana enjoyed a distinguished career as one of India's most successful shooters. Born in 1976, he won numerous medals at major international competitions, including the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. His international breakthrough came in 1994 when he secured gold medals in the 25m pistol event at both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.

During his competitive career, Rana won 15 Commonwealth Games medals, including nine gold, four silver and two bronze medals across four editions of the event between 1994 and 2006. One of his most notable achievements came at the 2006 Asian Games, where he won three gold medals and one silver medal while equalling the world record of that period.

Following his retirement from competitive shooting, Rana played a major role in developing Indian shooting talent as a coach and mentor. He worked extensively with junior shooters and was credited with guiding athletes including Manu Bhaker, Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala and Chinki Yadav. He was widely recognised for helping Manu Bhaker win two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Rana received several national honours during his career. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 1997 for his achievements in shooting. In 2020, he received the Dronacharya Award in recognition of his contribution to coaching and the development of Indian shooting. His work as a shooter and coach contributed significantly to the growth of the sport in India.