New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Friday expressed profound grief over the demise of legendary pistol shooter and national coach Jaspal Rana, who passed away in New Delhi at the age of 49.

One of India’s most celebrated shooting stars, Rana leaves behind a rich legacy as both an athlete and mentor, having contributed immensely to the sport for more than three decades.

Paying tribute to the shooting great, NRAI President Kalikesh Singh Deo described his death as an irreplaceable loss for Indian sport.

“Jaspal Rana’s passing is an irreplaceable loss to Indian sports. He was a pioneer who inspired an entire generation of shooters to excel on the international stage. As an athlete, his achievements were legendary, and as a coach, his dedication helped shape the careers of our finest champions. On behalf of the NRAI, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family during this incredibly difficult time,” he said.

Born in Uttarakhand on June 28, 1976, Rana announced himself on the world stage in 1994 by clinching the junior world title in the 25m Standard Pistol event in Milan with a world-record score. Two years later, he represented India at the Atlanta Olympics, becoming one of the early torchbearers of shooting in the country.

Rana enjoyed a glittering competitive career, winning 15 medals at the Commonwealth Games, including nine gold medals across four editions between 1994 and 2006. He also claimed eight Asian Games medals, four of them gold.

Among his most memorable achievements came at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, where he battled high fever to win three gold medals and equalled the world record score of 590 in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event.

His contributions to Indian sport earned him the Arjuna Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 1997.

After retiring from competitive shooting, Rana transitioned into coaching and played a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of Indian shooters. As India’s High-Performance Coach for the 25m pistol discipline, he was instrumental in shaping several elite athletes, including Manu Bhaker, who scripted history with a double bronze-medal haul at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In recognition of his success as a coach, Rana received the Dronacharya Award in 2020.

NRAI Secretary General Pawan Kumar Singh said Rana’s influence on Indian shooting would be remembered for generations.

“Jaspal’s contribution to Indian shooting is unmatched. He brought immense discipline and technical expertise to our national coaching programme, helping turn young talent into world-class medallists. He will be deeply missed by everyone in the shooting community, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” he said.

–IANS

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