Legendary Indian Shooter Jaspal Rana passes away at 49

Legendary Indian shooter Jaspal Rana passed away at the age of 49 in Delhi. He breathed his last at Max Hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment after falling ill during his return journey from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany.

Rana had reportedly experienced chest pain during the competition in Germany but chose to ignore it, assuming it was not serious. However, his condition worsened while flying back to India, prompting immediate medical attention upon arrival in Delhi. Doctors later diagnosed him with a heart-related ailment and inserted a stent. A second stent procedure was scheduled to take place a few days later, but before it could be performed, Rana suffered another health setback and passed away.

One of India's greatest shooters, Rana won multiple gold medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games during his illustrious career. After retiring from competitive shooting, he established himself as a highly respected coach. Under his guidance, Manu Bhaker won two medals at the Paris Olympics, while several other young shooters also flourished under his mentorship.

Rana also served as the High Performance Coach of the Indian shooting team and was honoured with the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2020 for his contribution to Indian sports.

His untimely demise has left the Indian sporting fraternity in mourning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several leading sports personalities have expressed their condolences and paid tribute to his remarkable legacy.