Double-Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker has paid an emotional tribute to her late coach Jaspal Rana, saying the shooting range will never feel the same after his sudden passing. Rana, aged 49, passed away at a hospital in New Delhi in the early hours of Friday, 13 June 2025, reportedly due to complications arising from a stent procedure he had undergone following chest discomfort in late May.

A Loss That Shook Indian Shooting

Manu Bhaker was among the first to speak publicly after the news broke. 'I still can't believe it,' she said. 'It is unbelievable news. I am struggling to process it. He was not just my coach, mentor, or guide, but also a friend who understood me better than most people.' Manu has since travelled to Dehradun, where Rana's mortal remains have been taken for the final rites.

Rana's death has sent shockwaves through the Indian shooting fraternity. One of the country's finest pistol shooters during his competitive years, he had transitioned into coaching after retirement, first running his own academy in Dehradun before joining the national setup. His partnership with Manu proved transformative — he guided her through the heartbreak of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and helped rebuild her into a double-medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Coach Who Rebuilt a Champion

Manu's Paris journey is inseparable from Rana's influence. After a deeply disappointing Tokyo campaign, the duo worked together to reconstruct her mental and technical game from the ground up. 'When we started working together again, it felt like coming home,' Manu recalled. 'He knew when I was confident, when I was nervous, and when I needed support. He always found a way to bring out the best in me.'

She described a coach who balanced rigour with empathy. 'There were times when he was strict, and there were times when he simply listened,' she said. 'He always wanted the best from me, even when I did not understand it at the time. Looking back now, every lesson he taught me had a purpose.'

A Legacy Measured in Medals

For Manu, the victories she has earned carry Rana's fingerprints. 'Every medal, every success, every moment on the podium will always remind me of him,' she said. 'A part of those victories belongs to him because he never stopped believing in me, even during the most difficult phases of my career.' The sentiment reflects a bond that, by her own account, transcended the professional.

Rana had first made his mark as a competitive shooter before dedicating his post-retirement years to nurturing talent. His academy in Dehradun produced several junior shooters before he stepped into the national coaching structure — a trajectory that ultimately brought him to the role that defined his legacy.

What Comes Next for Indian Shooting

Rana's passing leaves a significant void in Indian pistol shooting at a critical juncture, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics cycle already underway. The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has not yet made a formal statement on succession planning for the coaching role. The shooting community will be watching closely as authorities decide how to fill a gap that, by any measure, will be difficult to bridge.