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Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan condoled the death of former Asian Games gold medallist and Dronacharya Award-winning coach Jaspal Rana.
The 49-year-old passed away in New Delhi on Friday after battling health complications. He was admitted to Max Hospital in Saket, South Delhi, where he breathed his last, hospital officials confirmed. Pradhan shared a post on X and wrote, "The news of the passing of renowned shooter and coach Jaspal Rana ji, who brought glory to India on the international stage, is extremely heartbreaking. With his extraordinary talent, discipline, and dedication, he gifted the nation countless moments of pride in shooting. From achievements as an athlete to nurturing new talents as a coach, his contributions will forever be remembered. His demise is an irreplaceable loss for the Indian sports world. May God grant peace to the departed soul and provide strength to the family and his admirers during this difficult time. Om Shanti." Rana had reportedly fallen ill while returning from the ISSF World Cup in Munich on Thursday and later underwent a medical procedure in Delhi. His passing comes as a major blow to Indian shooting, where he played a transformative role both as an athlete and a coach. One of India's most decorated shooters, Rana leaves behind a remarkable legacy spanning more than three decades. He remains India's most successful Commonwealth Games athlete, having won an extraordinary 15 medals -- nine gold, four silver and two bronze -- across the 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 editions of the Games. His achievements extended well beyond the Commonwealth stage. Rana secured four gold medals and one silver at the Asian Games, including a gold medal at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games and a historic haul of three gold medals at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. Known for his grit and determination, Rana famously won three gold medals in Doha despite competing with a high fever, a feat that remains one of the most celebrated achievements in Indian shooting history. After retiring from competition, Rana devoted himself to coaching and talent development. As a junior national coach, he identified and nurtured several future stars, including Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary. Despite a widely publicised fallout with Bhaker before the Tokyo Olympics, the two later reunited, with Rana playing a key role in her successful campaign that culminated in two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024. He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 1997 for his contributions to Indian shooting. He was awarded the Dronacharya Award in 2020. At the time of his death, Rana was serving as India's high-performance coach for pistol events. (ANI)
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