New Delhi: Former Indian shooter and coach Jaspal Rana passed away in New Delhi on Friday. He was one of India’s most successful shooters and later became a respected coach, helping to develop the shooting talent of many youngsters in the country.His uncle, Rajinder Singh Rana, expressed shock and grief over his death, saying that Jaspal had no health problems and was on his way to Germany when the incident occurred.Rajendra Singh Rana told ANI, “This is a very sad moment. He had no (health) problems before. He was going to Germany when this happened.”Jaspal Rana enjoyed an illustrious career that spanned over 30 years. He is India’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete, having won 15 medals – nine gold, four silver and two bronze – in the 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 editions.He also excelled at the Asian Games, winning four gold medals and one silver medal. His achievements include a gold medal at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games and three gold medals at the 2006 Doha Asian Games.In 1994, he won the gold medal and set a record score at the World Shooting Championships in Milan. He also equaled the world record in the 25m center fire pistol event at the 2006 Asian Games with a score of 590.At the time of his death, Rana was serving as India’s high performance coach for pistol shooting. His contribution as both a champion shooter and coach earned him immense respect in Indian sports.With tributes from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi And Union Home Minister Amit Shah is among those mourning his death.“Deeply saddened by the demise of legendary player Jaspal Ranaji. He dedicated his life to establishing India’s indomitable prowess in shooting by winning international honors for the nation and nurturing young shooters as a coach. The death of Ranaji is an irreparable loss to the nation. In this moment of grief, I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family and millions of fans,” Amit Shah wrote on X.Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid homage to the shooting legend.“Deeply saddened by the passing away of Shri Jaspal Ranaji. His passing is a deep loss to the world of Indian sports. He brought immense honor to the nation through his extraordinary achievements in shooting. His contribution as a mentor, nurturing and mentoring young sportspersons with great dedication was equally remarkable. Much appreciated. My thoughts are with his family, friends and the entire sports community at this sad time. Om Shanti,” said the Prime Minister.
