Acclaimed shooting coach Jaspal Rana passes away at 49: Details
What's the story
Jaspal Rana, a highly-acclaimed Indian shooting coach and Asian Games gold medallist, has passed away at the age of 49. He was the High-Performance Coach for India's pistol shooters. Rana reportedly felt discomfort while returning to India from the ISSF World Cup in Munich. Doctors found a cardiac blockage and placed a stent in his heart. A second stent procedure was scheduled for the coming days.
Health crisis
Mistook discomfort for acidity
Rana first mistook his discomfort for acidity during the ISSF World Cup in Munich. However, the problem resurfaced on his journey back to India, leading him to seek immediate medical help upon reaching Delhi. His brother Subash Rana confirmed that "he initially mistook [it] for acidity" during the ISSF World Cup in Munich, which he initially thought was acidity.
Legacy
A huge loss for Indian shooting
Rana's death is a huge loss for Indian shooting. He was one of the country's most decorated shooters and respected coaches, having shaped many generations of pistol shooters. Until his last days, he remained an integral part of the national program. In recent years, Rana was best known for his work with Manu Bhaker at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Coaching journey
Coach Rana's career
In February 2025, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) appointed Rana as the High-Performance Coach for the 25m pistol discipline. Five years earlier, he had been awarded the Dronacharya Award for his contribution to coaching. Before becoming one of India's most respected coaches, Rana had made a name for himself as one of India's best pistol shooters.
Shooting accolades
Career as a shooter
Born on June 28, 1976, in Uttarakhand, Rana made his international debut in 1994. He won gold in the junior category at the World Shooting Championships in Milan with a world-record score. Later that year, he won gold in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event at the Asian Games. Over his career spanning more than a decade at the highest level, Rana became one of India's most successful shooters with medals across Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships.
Coaching legacy
Career as a coach and tributes
After retiring from competitive shooting, Rana took up coaching and joined the national setup in 2012. He headed the junior pistol program and was instrumental in creating India's next generation of shooters. His work with young athletes earned him widespread recognition as India continued to produce medal contenders across international competitions. Following his death, tributes poured in from across the sporting fraternity including Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh who expressed his condolences on X.