New Delhi: Saddened by the untimely demise of legendary shooter and double Olympic medalist coach Jaspal Rana. I beg youfather of Ram Kishan revealed that the biggest contribution the former marksman made to his daughter’s career was instilling discipline, self-confidence and a result-oriented mindset that eventually helped her become a champion.Rana, 49, died on Thursday after battling heart complications, leaving the Indian sports community in mourning. The former Pistol Ace was instrumental in guiding Manu to his historic double bronze medal feat at the Paris Olympics.Speaking about the deep impact the decorated shooter had on his daughter, Ram Kishan described Rana as a strict taskmaster who always demanded the highest standards.“The biggest contribution Jaspal Rana gave to Manu’s shooting career was to inculcate discipline, focus, hard work and a result-oriented approach. He was a good coach. Manu was well trained by him. It is a great tragedy that he passed away like this,” Kishan told PTI.
‘Hard on the outside, soft on the inside’
Recalling Rana’s personality, Manu’s father said the coach constantly pushed his wards to improve and had full faith in their abilities.“What he used to say to Manu: Work hard and believe in yourself. Believe in yourself. You have the will to fight. You can do it. And you will do it,” he recalled.“He was a tough taskmaster but good at heart. Tough on the outside and soft on the inside. He was a legendary shooter and a result-oriented coach. He would scold constantly and throw tantrums like a child if you disobeyed him. But Manu preferred a strict and disciplined life.”
From the differences to the glory of Paris
He also highlighted the differences between Rana and Manu ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. According to Kishan, Rana wanted Manu to focus on just one event while she was keen to compete in both the 10m air pistol and 25m pistol categories.The disagreement affected the young man mentally and even made him question whether he should continue with the sport.However, the two reunited before the Paris Olympics, with Rana supporting Manu’s ambitions to compete in both events.“Rana supported her and told her she could do it. From then on, Manu’s form improved,” Kishan said.Reflecting on the lessons her daughter learned from her coach, she added: “What Manu realized was that if there is discipline, anything is possible. If you understand these things, everything else becomes easy.”
