Indian shooting lost one of its best pistol shooters on Friday. Jaspal Rana, Asian Games gold medalist and winner of several international events who later transformed Indian shooting as coach. He breathed his last at the age of 49 in a hospital in Delhi After battling heart complications.Rana was one of India’s most distinguished shooters and coaches, a maverick whose open-minded approach and passion for the game shaped generations of young talent.It was in 1976, in Chelamu village in Uttarakhand’s Tehrigarhwal region, that an enthusiast was born who would dedicate his life to shooting and become one of India’s best shooters at the international level.Rana started shooting at the age of 10 and never looked back. He won his first national-level gold medal aged just 12 before announcing himself to the world at the 1994 World Shooting Championships in Milan, where he returned with a junior gold medal and a world record score.Also read: ‘His dedication will inspire generations’: Murmu president Abhinav Bandra pays tribute to Jaspal RanaIn the same year, he won the 25m center fire pistol gold at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, marking his international success. The Asian Games title was India’s first shooting gold in 16 years since Raja Randhir Singh opened the country’s account in 1978.The legend collected thunderous medals during his shooting career and established himself as one of India’s most successful shooters. Over the years, Rana has added to his achievements in the Asian Games, Asian Championships and Commonwealth Games. Even today, he remains India’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete, having won 15 medals, including nine golds, in four editions.Rana was awarded the Arjuna Award at the age of 18, followed by the Padma Shri three years later.The 2006 Doha Asian Games is the highlight of his shooting career. Rana won three gold medals and one silver in a sensational campaign that included equaling the world record in the 25m center fire pistol event.After a decorated career as an elite shooter, Rana continued to contribute to the sport. He moved into coaching and joined the national level in 2012, leading the junior pistol program and acting as a vital cog in shaping India’s next generation of shooters. A strict taskmaster, he was credited with establishing rigorous training routines that mimicked the pressures of actual Olympic competition.Like any accomplished teacher, Rana gained recognition through the achievements of his protégés. He played a key role in developing such talent. Saurabh ChaudharyAnish Bhanwala and Chunky Yadav, are building a pipeline that will leave a lasting impact on Indian shooting.Still, it was over. I beg you That the nation saw the full extent of his coaching legacy. Under his guidance, Bhakar emerged as India’s standout performer at the 2024 Paris Olympics, returning with two bronze medals and becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Games.For his contribution to the sport and development of the next generation of shooters, Rana was awarded the Dronacharya Award in 2020. Despite his successes as a coach, Rana remained closely associated with the national set-up. He was appointed as the High Performance Coach for the 25m Pistol discipline in 2025 and continued to guide India’s next generation of prodigies till his last days.
