Indian shooting legend Jaspal Rana breathed his last at the age of 49 on Friday morning at Max Hospital, Saket in the national capital. The news sent shockwaves through the Indian shooting community, particularly affecting his star pupil Manu Bhaker, who left a national training camp competition midway upon learning of her coach’s demise.

According to officials, Rana had fallen ill on a flight while returning from Munich on the night of June 1. He received initial medical attention abroad but was admitted to the Delhi hospital upon arrival, where doctors inserted a stent following cardiac evaluations. National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan confirmed the passing.

Sudden Health Setback  

Rana reportedly experienced chest pain during the ISSF World Cup in Munich, initially dismissing it as acidity. His brother Subhash Rana told reporters that the discomfort intensified on the journey back, leading to immediate hospitalisation in Delhi. Despite medical intervention, the veteran coach could not recover.

Manu Bhaker’s Emotional Exit  

The tragedy hit hardest for Tokyo and Paris Olympian Manu Bhaker, who was competing in the 25-metre pistol event at the national training camp in Dehradun. Family members said they delayed informing her for several hours as she was mid-competition. Around 10 AM, when told of Rana’s death, Bhaker’s pistol reportedly slipped from her hand. She stood motionless for moments before sitting on the ground, visibly distraught, and abandoned the match. She has since postponed all her sporting commitments to travel directly from Dehradun to pay her final respects.

Bhaker won two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics under Rana’s guidance as India’s high-performance coach for the 25m pistol event, a role he had held since February 2025.

Illustrious Career as Competitor  

Before transitioning to coaching, Rana carved out one of the most decorated careers in Indian shooting history. He secured eight medals at the Asian Games, including four golds, two silvers, and two bronzes. At the Commonwealth Games, he won 15 medals across four editions (1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006), with nine of them gold.

His standout moment came at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, where he clinched three gold medals and equalled the world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol. Even earlier, at just 18, he announced his arrival by winning gold at the 1994 Milan World Shooting Championship in the junior category with a world-record score, despite competing in severe pain from a knee abscess that had burst the previous night. That same year, he also earned a gold at the Hiroshima Asian Games and received the Arjuna Award.

Inspired by Father, Early Start  

Rana’s journey into shooting began at the age of ten, inspired by his father Narayan Singh Rana, an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel. He started practising with both pistol and rifle but later specialised in pistol events. By age 11-12, he was already competing at state and national levels, winning a silver medal at the 31st National Shooting Championship in Ahmedabad at just 12 years old.

Tributes Pour In  

Leaders and sporting icons expressed profound grief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a condolence message on X. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also paid tribute in Hindi. Former cricketer and current Indian cricket coach Gautam Gambhir called Rana a “stalwart of Indian Sports” whose passing left a “huge void.” 

Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra described him as a teammate who helped shape Indian shooting. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge termed him “a towering figure in Indian sport and one of our greatest shooting champions.”

Legacy Beyond Medals  

Beyond his personal achievements, Rana made a lasting impact as a junior team coach and high-performance trainer. His guidance helped elevate India’s pistol shooting standards on the global stage, with Manu Bhaker’s Paris success standing as recent testimony to his methods.

The Indian shooting fraternity now mourns not just a champion athlete but a mentor who bridged generations. As tributes continue to flow, Rana’s contributions are being remembered as foundational to the country’s rising stature in the sport.