Jaspal Rana: A champion, coach and architect of Indian Shooting

Indian shooting lost one of its greatest names as Jaspal Rana passed away at the age of 49 on Friday, June 12, in New Delhi.

Jaspal Rana's contribution to Indian shooting extended far beyond his achievements as an athlete. He was not only one of India's most decorated shooters but also a highly respected coach who helped shape the careers of some of the country's biggest stars, including Manu Bhaker, who won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics under his guidance.

Born on June 28, 1976, in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, Rana spent much of his childhood in Mussoorie. His introduction to shooting came through his father, a former Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) official, who was also his first coach. At the age of 10, Rana was introduced to pistols and rifles and began learning the sport.

Although he initially trained with both weapons, he eventually chose pistol shooting.

His rise was swift. Just two years after taking up the sport, he made his national debut at the National Shooting Championship in Ahmedabad in 1988 and won a silver medal at the age of 12.

The year 1994 proved to be a turning point in his career. At the World Championships in Milan, Rana won gold in the junior category with a world-record score despite competing with an injury. Later that year, he continued his success at the Asian Games in Hiroshima, winning a gold medal in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol team event.

His success continued at the Commonwealth Games, where he accumulated medals across multiple editions. His achievements earned him the Arjuna Award in 1994 at just 18 years of age, making him one of the youngest sportspersons to receive the honour.

Rana represented India at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and was awarded the Padma Shri in 1997 for his contribution to Indian sport.

The medals continued to follow. At the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, he won four medals, including two golds and two silvers in Centre Fire and Air Pistol events. The same year, at the Asian Games in Bangkok, he secured a silver medal in the individual 25m Centre Fire Pistol event and a bronze medal in the team event.

In 2002, he added six more medals to his collection at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester across various Centre Fire and Standard Pistol events.

One of the finest moments of his career came at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, where Rana won four medals—three gold and one silver. He claimed gold in the men's 25m Centre Fire Pistol, men's 25m Standard Pistol and the team event, while also securing silver in an individual event. During the competition, he equalled the then world record in his favourite 25m Centre Fire Pistol discipline.

The same year, he won gold in the men's 25m Centre Fire Pistol (Pairs) event at the Commonwealth Games alongside Samaresh Jung.

Across four Commonwealth Games editions between 1994 and 2006, Rana won 15 medals, including nine golds. At the Asian Games, he secured eight medals, four of them gold, making him one of India's most successful shooters.

After a highly successful competitive career, Rana turned to coaching. He officially began coaching young Indian shooters around 2012 as the junior national pistol coach and dedicated himself to helping the next generation grow and succeed.

Throughout his coaching journey, he played a major role in nurturing several top shooters, including Manu Bhaker, Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala, Chinki Yadav and Esha Singh.

His work with Manu Bhaker became one of the defining chapters of his coaching career. After coaching her between 2018 and 2021, Rana reunited with Bhaker ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Under his guidance, she became the first Indian athlete to win two medals at a single Olympic Games, securing bronze medals in the women's 10m air pistol and mixed team 10m air pistol events.

His dedication to developing shooters at both the grassroots and elite levels earned him the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2020.

In February last year, Rana was appointed India's high-performance coach for the 25m pistol discipline and remained committed to helping young shooters until his final days.

From winning a national medal at the age of 12 to becoming one of India's greatest shooters and coaches, Jaspal Rana leaves behind a remarkable legacy. His achievements as both an athlete and mentor helped shape Indian shooting, and his influence will continue to inspire future generations.