Indian shooting great Jaspal Rana, a multiple Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, has died at the age of 49. Rana, who was serving as the high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters, had recently undergone a medical procedure after falling ill during the Indian contingent's return flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany.
Rana was known for transforming Indian shooting through his roles as a junior national team coach and high-performance trainer. He also mentored Manu Bhaker, helping her secure a historic double bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
For his contributions to the sport, the government awarded him the Dronacharya Award in 2020. India's Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra took to social media to pay his condolences, calling Rana a 'giant of Indian sport' who helped shape Indian shooting.
Rana's shooting career was equally memorable, with him emerging as a rising star in Indian shooting, winning gold in the 25 metre Centre Fire Pistol event at the 1994 Asian Games. He remains one of India's most successful CWG athletes, with 15 medals in total, including 9 gold.
