Indian shooting legend Jaspal Rana, a multiple Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medallist who later became one of the country’s most respected coaches, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 49. His death was confirmed by National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo.
According to reports, Rana died at a hospital in Delhi, days after undergoing a medical procedure. He had reportedly fallen ill during the Indian contingent’s return journey from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, and was admitted to hospital soon after landing in the national capital.
At the time of his death, Rana was serving as the high-performance coach for India’s pistol shooters. Widely credited with shaping the next generation of Indian marksmen, he played a key role in the development of several top shooters, including Manu Bhaker, who won a historic double bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
His coaching legacy also includes mentoring talents such as Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala and Chinki Yadav. In February 2025, the NRAI appointed him as the high-performance coach for the 25m pistol discipline.
Recognising his contribution to Indian shooting as a coach, the Government of India conferred the Dronacharya Award on him in 2020.
Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra led the tributes, expressing grief over Rana’s demise. In a post on X, Bindra described him as a gifted shooter and teammate who helped shape Indian shooting.
Calling his death a huge loss to the sport, Bindra extended condolences to Rana’s family, friends, students and all those whose lives he influenced.
A decorated shooting career
While Rana earned widespread acclaim as a coach in recent years, his achievements as a shooter remain among the finest in Indian sporting history.
Born in 1976, he burst onto the international stage by winning gold in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event at the 1994 Asian Games. Over the next decade, he established himself as one of India’s most successful shooters, winning medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and several international competitions.
Rana remains one of India’s most decorated Commonwealth Games athletes, having won 15 medals, including nine gold medals.
His remarkable achievements earned him the Arjuna Award at the age of 18, followed by the Padma Shri three years later.
One of the defining moments of his career came at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, where he clinched three gold medals and set a world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event.
Rana represented India at four editions of the Commonwealth Games — 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 — leaving behind a legacy that transformed Indian shooting both as a champion athlete and as a mentor to future stars.