CHENNAI: Jaspal Rana didn't know the subtlety of camouflaging bitter truth with sweeteners. His words usually seemed difficult to swallow but like his shooting skill, they were never off the mark and more often than not hits the target. Fiery in nature with a strict demeanor, Rana was considered a tough taskmaster and an iconoclast. But once you build the trust, it’s difficult to live without him. And of course, he was a man who knew nothing about retreating. But there was softness in his heart.
The nonchalant attitude came across as affront to some, especially officials of the sport. But Jaspal never cared. There were times when the entire posse of shooting officials slighted him. No matter how hard he was pushed around he found ways to bounce back. He always called spade a spade.
Jaspal was quite outspoken and straight forward too. He always used to say that what ever he used to do was for the sport and its future. This very trait of his used to bring him in direct confrontation with the authorities. He suffered and suffered but he never complained nor back down. He never cared. Now, he never will.
British singer Ozzy Osbourne's song echoes the sentiments: "Leaving, I hate to see you cry/Grieving, I hate to say good-bye/Dust and ash forever, yeah/Though I know we must be parted/As sure as stars are in the sky/I'm gonna see when it comes to glory/And I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side..."
Ask double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, who considered him as a father figure. Weeks before the Paris Olympics, during a casual conversation, Manu admitted to The New Indian Express, "When I see him (her coach Jaspal Rana) around, I get courage." Rana, later in Chateauroux, venue for the Paris Games shooting, said, "If you believe in someone you just don’t need to talk. That happens with any coach and a ward I think." When Manu won the bronze, he quietly left. And emerged only after the spotlight shifted from Manu.
Understandably, Manu is distraught. According to reports, her mother, Sumedha, said she is not in a position to speak. The mortal remains are supposed to reach Dehradun where the ward is expected to pay her homage.
He was so committed to his coaching that Rana never cared about anything else. One can even say that he was obsessed. His acumen for spotting talent at a very young age made him standout as a junior national coach. And one thing he never cared about is money. Rana could safely be called the rockstar of Indian shooting. One brought about a revolution with this shooting. He may not have won an Olympic medal but was considered one of the best pistol shooters in the country. This was captured by Abhinav Bindra's words.
"Jaspal was my teammate, and in many ways, part of a generation that helped shape Indian shooting. He was intense, gifted, and carried the pride of the country every time he stepped onto the range. This is a huge loss for our sport," he wrote on his social media handle. "Jaspal's contribution to Indian sports goes far beyond his medals. He gave back to shooting with the same intensity with which he competed. He trained, guided inspired and shaped so many athletes... He showed young India the value of hard work."
One of the first shooters to help India leave sizeable footprints on the international map, Jaspal was as good as it came. Hailing from Uttarakhand, he first announced himself as an 18-year-old when he struck gold during the 1994 Asian Games in men's 25m center fire pistol. That same year, he had also captured the junior world title in the 24m standard pistol event and a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games. Winning became a recurring theme in his playing career as he ended up with many medals across different disciplines/competitions before going to become a champion coach.
As a coach, he was one of the key forces behind India's success in the last decade. His contribution with the junior programme has helped the team build a solid foundation, propelling many young shooters come to the fore in the process.
Over the years, he had gone on to become an influential figure in the team. After years of heartbreaks and persistence, Manu had returned with a historic double bronze during the 2024 Paris Olympics. That feat was monumental to say the least. After blanking in 2016 and 2020 editions, that return was sort of a redemption story for the team. A balm for India. More importantly, those returns gave the shooting fraternity a fresh sense of belief in their pursuit for more medals in future Games.
With that massive contribution, he had truly earned his stripes. What made him stand out from his peers was his ability to speak his mind when he felt things were out of order. He was not afraid to challenge the system and would be one of the first ones to speak up for the greater interest of the sport. Despite rubbing people the wrong way sometimes, he commanded respect from everyone in the sport including his critics. NRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, shocked by the loss, honoured Jaspal. "Jaspal Rana, through his performances and dynamic personality, single-handedly brought the sport of Shooting into popular imagination in India. As a coach, he brought glory to the nation at the highest level, churning out champions after champions. It is a huge loss to our sport as he had so much more to give."
For Manu, he was more than just a coach. Likewise, there are many young guns who have gained courage over the years thanks to him.
This untimely passing is a huge loss and he leaves behind a giant legacy which will be hard to replace.