Indian Shooting Legend and Coach Jaspal Rana Passes Away at 49 in Delhi
New Delhi , June 12 (TNT): Renowned Indian shooting coach and former Asian Games gold medallist Jaspal Rana passed away here on Thursday night following a medical emergency.
He was 49.
Rana, one of India’s most decorated shooters and a highly respected coach, reportedly fell ill while returning from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, and was later admitted to a hospital in New Delhi, where he underwent treatment.
A pioneering figure in Indian shooting, Rana won multiple medals for the country at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games and represented India at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
He was widely regarded as one of the architects of India’s rise in international shooting.
As a coach, Rana played a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of Indian shooters. He served as the high-performance coach for the national pistol team and was instrumental in guiding Manu Bhaker to her historic double bronze-medal achievement at the Paris Olympics.
Rana was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1994 at the age of 18 for his achievements in shooting and received the Padma Shri in 1997.
In recognition of his contribution as a coach, he was conferred the Dronacharya Award in 2020.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several national leaders expressed grief over his demise, describing it as a major loss to Indian sports. \
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