Indian shooting stalwart and renowned coach Jaspal Rana passed away in New Delhi on Friday at the age of 49 after battling health complications.

Rana was admitted to Max Hospital in Saket, South Delhi, where he breathed his last, hospital officials confirmed. 

He had reportedly fallen ill while returning from the ISSF World Cup in Munich on Thursday and later underwent a medical procedure in the national capital.

His death marks a significant loss for Indian shooting, a sport he helped transform through his achievements as both an athlete and a coach.

Widely regarded as one of India's greatest shooters, Rana remains the country's most successful Commonwealth Games athlete.

PM Modi condoles death: 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the death of shooting legend Jaspal Rana, calling it a "profound loss" for Indian sports and praising his immense contribution as both a champion shooter and mentor.

Modi said Rana's legacy of excellence, discipline and dedication to nurturing young athletes would continue to inspire generations, while offering condolences to his family and the sporting fraternity.

Check out Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s post as well:

TMC MP Kirti Azad mourned the death, calling Rana the pride of the nation and recalling his medal-winning achievements. 

Azad, who shared a personal bond with Rana, described him as a kind-hearted and wonderful person whose loss is deeply felt.

AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, too, took to X to condole the sudden death of the sports icon.

Across the 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 editions of the Games, he amassed 15 medals: nine gold, four silver and two bronze.

His dominance extended to the Asian Games as well, where he won four gold medals and one silver. He clinched gold at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games and produced a memorable performance at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, winning three gold medals.

Among his many accomplishments, Rana won gold at the 1994 World Shooting Championships in Milan while setting a record score.

He also equalled the world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event with an aggregate score of 590 at the 2006 Asian Games.

One of the defining moments of his career came in Doha, where he battled a high fever to secure three gold medals, a feat that remains part of Indian shooting folklore.

Following his retirement from competitive shooting, Rana turned to coaching and talent development.

As a junior national coach, he played a key role in identifying and nurturing future stars, including Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary.

Although Rana and Bhaker experienced a highly publicised fallout before the Tokyo Olympics, they later reunited.

He subsequently contributed to her successful campaign that culminated in two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

At the time of his passing, Rana was serving as India's high-performance coach for pistol events.

His contributions as a champion shooter, mentor and architect of India's shooting success have left an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire generations.