Dehradun, June 24: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid heartfelt tributes to the late shooting coach and athlete Jaspal Rana during his ‘Tehrvi’ ceremony in Majhaun, Dehradun, on Wednesday.
Rajnath Singh remarked, “Jaspal Rana will be remembered for his significant role in giving Indian shooting a new identity on the global stage.” He also expressed his condolences to Rana’s family members.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami honored Rana, stating that his remarkable performances at both national and international levels brought pride to Uttarakhand and the country. He emphasized that Rana’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of athletes.
The tribute ceremony was attended by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Uttarakhand ministers Saurabh Bahuguna and Khajan Das, BJP MPs Mahesh Sharma, Ajay Bhatt, and Sudhanshu Trivedi, along with BJP MLA Pankaj Singh, among others.
Jaspal Rana, who was awarded the Dronacharya Award, Arjuna Award, and Padma Shri, passed away on June 13 in a hospital in New Delhi.
Regarded as one of India’s greatest shooters, Rana had a career spanning over three decades. He is the most successful athlete for India in the Commonwealth Games, winning 15 medals, including nine golds across four editions. His achievements also include four golds and a silver at the Asian Games.
He secured a gold medal at the 1994 World Shooting Championship in Milan with a record-setting performance and equaled the world record in the 25-meter center fire pistol event during the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
After retiring from competitive shooting, Rana made a name for himself as a successful coach, training Manu Bhaker, who won two medals at the Paris Olympics.
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