Shooting nerd who hit the mark as player, coach

With his glasses in place and his gaze firmly transfixed on the firing station, Jaspal Rana would be a picture of bubbling intensity on the coach's chair as his famous wards went about their business.

- Shantanu Srivastava

Win or lose, his demeanour would barely change, except for a reluctant, half-smile reserved for TV cameras.

But once the din subsided, Rana, like a professor he would dissect the seemingly boring, static pursuit bit by bit, identifying gaps to be plugged and opportunities to be explored. Undone by Father Time at a Delhi hospital at 49, Rana’s life was dedicated to the sport he dearly loved; it went on to define him.

Shooting ranges are sanitised spaces, their silent anticipation broken only by the distinct crack of the weapon. Unlike most spectator sports, the protagonists here have their backs to the audience, as if to say the world doesn't matter to them. What lies ahead is what matters, a metaphor for life for those who wish to take note. These ranges, from Delhi to Dehradun to Bhopal to the world became his playground. And boy, did he play well!