Jaspal Rana. File
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Renowned Indian shooting coach and former Asian Games gold medallist Jaspal Rana, 49, passed away on Friday (June 12, 2026).
Jaspal Rana recently underwent a medical procedure after falling ill during the Indian contingent’s return flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany.
Until his death, Rana served as the high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters.
Born in 1976, Rana won numerous medals at international competitions, including the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. He was instrumental in shaping India’s presence in shooting sports.
Jaspal Rana had a remarkable tally of 15 medals — 9 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze — won across four editions of the Commonwealth Games viz. 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006. He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1994 and Padma Shri in 1997 for his contributions to Indian shooting. Jaspal Rana was awarded Dronacharya Award in 2020.
Jaspal Rana was credited for helping Manu Bhaker win double bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The former shooter, who was considered a maverick in Indian shooting circles for his outspoken demeanour and passion for the sport, was a prodigal talent and won his first national level gold at just 12 years of age.
His international breakthrough were the 25m gold medals at the 1994 Commonwealth and Asian Games.
In fact, the Asiad gold was India’s first in 16 years after Raja Randhir Singh opened the account in 1978. Randhir had passed away recently after battling age-related ailments.
Rana’s biggest moment as a shooter came in the 2006 Asian Games when he snared three gold medals and a silver in a sensational performance that included equalling the world record of the time.
After a decorated career as an elite shooter, Rana transformed Indian shooting through his roles as a junior national team coach and high-performance trainer.
His most significant coaching contribution was mentoring Manu Bhaker and helping her secure two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, making her the first Indian to achieve such a feat.
As a junior pistol coach since 2012, he also groomed teen sensations such as Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala, and Chinki Yadav.
His work with the junior programme created a massive pipeline of international talent, creating a lasting impact on the sport.
(With PTI inputs)
Published – June 12, 2026 10:02 am IST
