Indian shooting legend and coach Jaspal Rana has died at the age of 49

Indian shooting legend and celebrated coach Jaspal Rana died on Friday at the age of 49 after suffering a medical emergency earlier this week.

Rana, who served as the high-performance coach of India’s pistol shooters, reportedly felt uncomfortable on his return to India from the ISSF World Championships in Munich. After landing in New Delhi, he was admitted to Max Hospital in Saket where he underwent treatment. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) later confirmed his demise.

His death is a huge blow to Indian shooting, a sport to which he dedicated more than three decades as a champion athlete and coach.

One of India’s most decorated pistol shooters, Rana rose to prominence in the 1990s and established himself as a dominant force in international competition. He won several medals in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships and became one of the most successful shooters in the country.

Rana represented India for several years with distinction and played a key role in popularizing shooting when the sport was still developing in the country. His achievements on the range earned him widespread recognition and inspired a generation of young shooters to take up the sport.

After bringing down the curtain on his competitive career, Rana moved into coaching and soon became one of the most influential figures in Indian shooting.

In 2012, he joined the national coaching staff and took charge of the junior pistol program. Over the next decade, he helped create a strong talent pool, working closely with several shooters who made their mark on the international stage.

Prominent names edited under his guidance included Saurabh Chaudhary, Anish Bhanwala and Chinki Yadav. His contribution to the junior program was widely recognized as India continued to produce world-class pistol shooters year after year.

Rana was known for his meticulous planning, technical expertise and ability to prepare shooters for high-pressure situations. His training methods focused heavily on replicating competition conditions, allowing athletes to adapt to the demands of major international events.

One of the defining chapters of his coaching career was his association with Manu Bhaker. Rana played a key role in Bhaker’s preparation and development during a crucial phase of her career. Bhaker went on to make history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning bronze medals in the women’s 10m air pistol and 10m mixed team events.

In recognition of his contribution to the sport, the NRAI appointed Rana as the High Performance Coach for the 25m Pistol event in February 2025. He remained actively involved in the national shooting program and continued to work with India’s leading pistol shooters until his death.

For his contribution to coaching and athlete development, Rana was honored with the 2020 Dronacharya Award, one of the highest honors in Indian sports.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

12 Jun 2026 09:45 IST