Jaspal Rana: Legendary Indian shooter Jaspal Rana has passed away. He died on Friday at a hospital in Delhi at the age of 49. News of his demise has sent a wave of grief through the sports fraternity. According to reports, Rana was recently returning home from Munich. He felt unwell during the journey from Munich to New Delhi and was admitted to Max Hospital upon his arrival in the capital.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has confirmed his passing. His death is a major blow to Indian shooting; Rana had served the sport for over three decades.
Jaspal Rana passed away on the morning of Friday, June 12, while undergoing treatment. He had won gold medals for the country at the World Shooting Championships and the Asian Games. He played a pivotal role in popularising shooting in India.
He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2002 for his contributions to the sport. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep sorrow over the legendary shooter’s passing in a social media post.
Rajnath Singh tweeted, “I am shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden demise of internationally renowned shooter Jaspal Rana. Besides being an outstanding athlete and coach, Jaspal was an extremely down-to-earth, simple, and noble-hearted person. He played a highly significant role in popularising shooting as a sport in India.”
अंतर्राष्ट्रीय ख्याति प्राप्त शूटर जसपाल राणा के आकस्मिक निधन से मैं स्तब्ध और शोकाकुल हूँ। जसपाल एक उत्कृष्ट खिलाड़ी और कोच होने के साथ-साथ अत्यंत सहज, सरल और बहुत ही नेकदिल इंसान थे। भारत में शूटिंग को एक खेल के रूप में लोकप्रिय बनाने में उनकी बड़ी प्रभावी भूमिका थी।
जसपाल… pic.twitter.com/ZwCCJOFkPt
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 12, 2026
