Jaspal Rana, the Asian Games gold medallist and Indian shooting coach, died on Thursday night at the age of 49.
As reported by PTI, National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo confirmed the passing away of Rana at a Delhi hospital on Thursday night.
Rana recently underwent a medical procedure after falling ill while returning from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, with the Indian shooting contingent.
Rana, who serves as the high-performance coach for India’s pistol shooters, reportedly felt unwell during the flight back from Munich. Upon landing in Delhi last week, he was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.
One of the most influential figures in Indian shooting, Rana has played a key role in shaping the careers of several top shooters. As a junior national coach and high-performance trainer, he helped raise the standards of Indian shooting and groomed many young talents.
He is best known for mentoring Manu Bhaker, who created history by winning two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Rana has also worked closely with promising shooters such as Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala and Chinki Yadav.
In February 2025, NRAI had appointed him as the high-performance coach for the 25m pistol discipline.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport, Rana was honoured with the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2020.
