New Delhi: President Draupadi Murmu and Olympic champion Abhino Bandra The death of legendary shooter and coach Jaspal Rana on Friday saw an outpouring of grief from across the country, with tributes pouring in for a man known globally as one of the architects of the rise of Indian shooting.Rana, a former Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medalist and one of India’s most decorated pistol shooters, died at a Delhi hospital on Thursday night due to cardiac complications. He was 49 years old.President Murmu termed his demise as a great loss to Indian sports and said his legacy will continue to influence generations to come.The President wrote on X, “The news of Shri Jaspal Ranaji’s demise is deeply saddened. He was an eminent shooter whose exceptional performance brought the country to prominence.” “A multiple medalist in world shooting events, he established himself as an icon of Indian sports. As an athlete and mentor, he made a lasting contribution by nurturing young talent.“He also expressed his condolences to Rana’s family, friends and the sports community.
Abhinav Bindra misses teammate and trailblazer.
Abhinav Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist, said he was heartbroken at the loss of a colleague who played a major role in shaping Indian shooting.“Heartbroken to hear of Jaspal Rana’s passing. Jaspal was my colleague, and in many ways, part of a generation that helped shape Indian shooting. He was fierce, talented, and took the country’s pride with him every time he stepped on the range,” posted Bandra. “This is a great loss to our sport. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, students and everyone whose lives he touched.”The Prime Minister Narendra Modi It also mourned Rana’s death, calling it a “deep loss to the world of Indian sports”.“He brought immense honor to the nation through his extraordinary achievements in shooting. Equally remarkable was his contribution as a mentor, diligently shaping and guiding young athletes,” the Prime Minister wrote.Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called Rana an “Indian shooting legend” and praised his contribution as a champion athlete and a mentor.
The sports community pays an emotional tribute.
Olympic medalist boxer Vijender Singh also visited X to pay tribute to Rana.“Deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Jaspal Ranaji. His extraordinary contribution to Indian shooting as a champion athlete and a mentor inspired generations of sportsmen. Indian sports has lost a true legend…Respect Bhai Sahib,” Vijender wrote.London Olympics Silver Medalist Vijay Kumar Recalled his long association with Rana during the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.“It is a great loss for the game and the country. He was also a good coach. I am shocked,” Vijay Kumar told PTI.Former World No. 1 double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi called the news “extremely shocking” and remembered Rana as a close friend and a pioneer who showed Indian shooters how to win on the world stage.“He was the first person to show us how to win at the global level after his exploits in the 1994 Asian Games,” Sodhi told PTI.After an illustrious competitive career, Rana devoted himself to coaching and was instrumental in grooming a generation of Indian stars including Manu Bhakar, Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala and Chunky Yadav.A recipient of the Dronacharya Award in 2020, Rana was serving as a high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters at the time of his death.His achievements as a champion shooter earned him acclaim, but it was his work as a mentor that cemented his status as one of the most influential figures in Indian sports.
