Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 24 (ANI): Noida MLA Pankaj Singh remembered renowned shooter and Padma Shri awardee late Jaspal Rana at a condolence meet, saying that he shared a very close, friendly, and brotherly relationship with the late shooter.

'I knew him as a very simple person who was deeply connected to nature. He was always happy, remarkably positive, and completely dedicated to the sport of shooting. I shared a very close, friendly, and brotherly relationship with him, and we will truly always remember him as a member of our own family. He will always remain in our hearts. His loved ones across the country and the world are deeply saddened by this loss, but his memory will live on in everyone's hearts forever,' the Noida MLA said on Tuesday.

Jaspal Rana, a Dronacharya Award-winning coach and recipient of the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri, passed away in New Delhi on June 13 after battling health complications. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital in South Delhi.

Widely regarded as one of India's greatest shooters, Rana enjoyed an illustrious career spanning more than three decades. He remains India's most successful athlete at the Commonwealth Games, winning 15 medals, including nine gold medals, across four editions of the competition.

His achievements also included four gold medals and one silver medal at the Asian Games, while he secured a gold medal at the 1994 World Shooting Championships in Milan with a record-setting performance. Rana also equalled the world record in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol event during the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

After retiring from competitive shooting, Rana dedicated himself to coaching and talent development. As a mentor, he played a key role in nurturing several top Indian shooters, including Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary.

At the time of his demise, Rana was serving as India's high-performance coach for pistol events, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Indian sport. (ANI)