Who Was Jaspal Rana? Indian Shooting Giant And Manu Bhaker's Coach Leaves A Huge Legacy Behind

Last Updated:June 12, 2026, 10:13 IST

Indian shooting legend and coach Jaspal Rana dies at 49 after a medical emergency, celebrated for Commonwealth and Asian Games medals and mentoring stars like Manu Bhaker.

Jaspal Rana, one of the greatest names in Indian shooting, died on Friday (June 12) after suffering a medical emergency. He reportedly felt ill on a flight back to India from a shooting tournament in Germany and passed away in a New Delhi hospital at the age of 49.

Born in 1976 in Uttarakhand to a military family, his father, a war veteran, gave him his early training. He quickly showed immense talent, winning his first national medal at the age of twelve. Rana became a major force in shooting during the 1990s and 2000s.

He specialized in pistol events and won a huge number of medals for India. His record includes fifteen medals at the Commonwealth Games, with nine golds, and eight medals at the Asian Games, where he won four golds. At the 2006 edition in Doha, Rana matched the world record in the men’s center-fire pistol event.

Jaspal Rana: The coach who gave India Manu Bhaker

The Indian government honored his skills as a shooter with the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri. After retiring from competition, Rana turned his focus to coaching to build the next generation of shooters.

In 2012, he became a national coach for the junior pistol team. He was famous for setting up strict yet realistic training plans for his students, focusing on discipline and physical fitness. His coaching helped create some of the best young shooters in the world, including Saurabh Chaudhary and Anish Bhanwala.

His most famous coaching achievement was his work with Manu Bhaker. Rana guided her for years, and although they took a break from working together, they reunited ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. His training helped her win two historic bronze medals at those Games.

For his impact as a teacher, Rana was given the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2020. Most recently, in 2025, he was appointed as the high-performance coach for the 25-meter pistol discipline by the National Rifle Association of India.

A world-class athlete and a highly successful coach, Rana left the sporting world poorer.

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