Indian shooting stalwart Jaspal Rana, one of the country's most accomplished pistol shooters and the coach behind Manu Bhaker's historic double-medal success at the Paris Olympics, died at a Delhi hospital on Thursday night following cardiac complications. He was 49.
Rana's death has sent shockwaves through India's sporting community, bringing an abrupt end to the life of a champion athlete and celebrated coach whose influence shaped generations of shooters.
According to National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Rana passed away at a Delhi hospital on Thursday night. Sources said he died due to complications related to a heart condition.
The former Asian Games gold medallist had recently fallen ill during the Indian contingent's return flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. After landing in New Delhi, he was immediately hospitalised and underwent a procedure to clear a cardiac blockage with the installation of a stent. Although initial reports suggested he was stable, his condition later deteriorated.
Rana is survived by his wife Reena Rana, daughter Devanshi, son Yuvraj, father Narayan Singh Rana, and siblings Sushma Singh and Subhash Rana.
Widely regarded as one of India's finest pistol shooters, Rana emerged as a prodigious talent, winning his first national-level gold medal at the age of 12. His international breakthrough came in 1994 when he won 25m pistol gold medals at both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
His Asian Games triumph was particularly significant as it marked India's first shooting gold at the event in 16 years after Raja Randhir Singh's achievement in 1978.
Rana's greatest accomplishment as a shooter came at the 2006 Asian Games, where he delivered a sensational performance, winning three gold medals and a silver while equalling the world record of the time.
After retiring from elite competition, Rana successfully transitioned into coaching and became one of the most influential figures in Indian shooting. As a junior national coach and later a high-performance trainer, he played a pivotal role in developing young talent.
His most celebrated achievement as a coach came at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he mentored Manu Bhaker to two bronze medals, making her the first Indian athlete to win two medals at a single Olympic Games edition.
Since joining the junior programme in 2012, Rana has helped nurture several top shooters, including Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala and Chinki Yadav, creating a strong pipeline of international talent for India.
The NRAI appointed him as High-Performance Coach for the 25m pistol discipline in February 2025. Known as a strict disciplinarian, Rana was credited with designing rigorous training systems that replicated the pressure of Olympic competition.
In recognition of his contribution to the sport and athlete development, he was awarded the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2020. Rana also remains India's most successful Commonwealth Games athlete, having won 15 medals, including nine golds, across four editions of the Games.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over Rana's demise and described it as a major loss for Indian sports.
"Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri Jaspal Rana Ji. His passing is a profound loss to the world of Indian sports," Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister said Rana brought immense glory to the country through his achievements as a shooter and later through his work as a mentor.
"His unwavering commitment to excellence, discipline and service to the sporting world earned him immense admiration. My thoughts are with his family, friends and the entire sporting fraternity in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," he said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed grief.
Kharge wrote on X, "Deeply saddened by the passing of Jaspal Rana ji, a towering figure in Indian sport and one of our greatest shooting champions. From bringing glory to India on the world stage to nurturing future generations of shooters, his contribution to Indian sport was truly extraordinary. He even delved in public service to work for his state of Uttarakhand. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and the entire sporting fraternity."