Indian shooting lost one of its most influential figures on Friday as Jaspal Rana passed away at the age of 49 due to a heart-related illness. The former champion shooter and celebrated coach, who played a key role in Manu Bhaker's Olympic success, died at Delhi's Max Super Speciality Hospital.
His death has left the shooting community in shock. Just days earlier, there had been signs of improvement in his condition, and doctors believed he was recovering well. Tragically, an unexpected complication changed everything.
What happened to Jaspal Rana?
According to Dr Balbir Singh, Group Chairman of Cardiac Sciences and Head of Interventional Cardiology and Electrophysiology at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Rana was brought to the hospital in an extremely critical condition.
"Jaspal Rana had suffered a heart attack approximately three days before reaching the hospital," Dr Singh said.
The senior cardiologist explained that Rana continued travelling despite experiencing chest pain.
"He was travelling and continued to experience chest discomfort during that period. By the time he reached the hospital, his condition had become extremely serious," the doctor said.
According to Dr Singh, the artery responsible for the heart attack had become completely blocked.
"The artery responsible for the heart attack was fully obstructed. The heart's pumping capacity had been severely affected and he was already in heart failure," he explained.
Rana had recently returned from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. He reportedly fell ill during the return journey with the Indian contingent and was admitted to hospital immediately after landing in New Delhi.
Doctors performed a stent procedure after his admission to restore blood flow.
Doctors say recovery was on track before sudden complication
Hospital officials said Rana's condition had improved considerably following treatment.
In fact, doctors believed he was close to being discharged.
"Rana had recovered significantly and was in a condition where he could have been discharged from the hospital today," Dr Singh said.
However, a rare and serious complication occurred while he was asleep.
"During sleep, he suddenly suffered a cardiac rupture, which led to his death," the cardiologist said.
Dr Singh further noted that patients who reach hospital several days after suffering a heart attack remain vulnerable to severe complications.
"In patients who are brought to hospital long after a heart attack, the risk of complications such as cardiac rupture remains present and can lead to sudden death," he explained.
A shooting champion who became a legendary coach
Rana was regarded as one of India's finest pistol shooters and remained a towering figure in the sport long after his competitive career ended.
Known for his outspoken personality, direct views and deep passion for shooting, he was often seen as a rebel within Indian shooting circles. But there was never any doubt about his talent.
Remarkably, he won his first national-level gold medal at the age of 12.
His first major breakthrough on the international stage came in 1994 when he won gold medals in the 25m pistol event at both the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
The Asian Games gold was particularly significant. It ended India's 16-year wait for a shooting gold medal at the event after Randhir Singh's triumph in 1978.
Rana's finest moment as a competitor arrived at the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
There, he won:
- Three gold medals
- One silver medal
- An equalled world record performance
It remains one of the greatest achievements by an Indian shooter at a major international event.
The mentor behind Manu Bhaker's Olympic success
After retiring from top-level competition, Rana continued to shape Indian shooting through coaching.
He served as a junior national coach and later as a high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters.
His biggest achievement as a coach came at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Under Rana's guidance, Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals, a performance that further cemented his reputation as one of the country's most influential shooting mentors.
Rana is survived by his wife Reena Rana, daughter Devanshi, son Yuvraj, father Narayan Singh Rana, sister Sushma Singh and younger brother Subash Rana.
According to National Rifle Association of India president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Rana breathed his last late on Thursday night at the Delhi hospital.
His final rites will be held in Varanasi on Saturday.
For Indian shooting, the loss is immense. Rana leaves behind not just medals and records, but generations of shooters who benefited from his knowledge, discipline and unwavering commitment to the sport.
