Today, everyone is celebrating the medals won by Manu Bhaker at the Paris Olympics, but her coach Jaspal Rana, who played a pivotal role in her success, expressed to the media his need for a stable job. “In the coaching profession, nobody will remember you if your protégé loses the game,” he said. Jaspal further added that he was jobless when Manu Bhaker sought his assistance, leading him to join her team.
Manu and Jaspal had a notorious fallout after the shooter’s failure to win a medal in the Tokyo Games due to a pistol malfunction. Despite this, they reunited and succeeded in Paris. As Manu continues to aim for more medals for India, Rana is keen on securing a full-time job with a steady income, something he hasn’t had for the last three years.
Jaspal became emotional as he recounted the backlash he faced after Manu’s unexpected exit from the Tokyo Games. “All those who abused me, made me a villain after Tokyo when I wasn’t even there, now want interviews from me. No problem, I did interviews, but are these people going to make up my losses in life at large?” he said.
While delighted to see Manu finally achieve an Olympic medal, Rana revealed that neither the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) nor any other sporting body in the country has paid him any salary over the past three years. For now, his main focus is finding a job.
“I am nobody. I just did a job Manu wanted me to help her with. But are people aware I haven’t received a monthly salary from the National Rifle Association of India or any other agency over the last three years? I am thrilled that Manu has shown her potential. I need to go back to India and start afresh. I need to find a job to earn money,” said Jaspal candidly.
He expressed gratitude to PT Usha and Captain Ajay Narang for helping him get the Olympics accreditation card from the IOA. “When I got this accreditation card, I was happy. I am thankful to them. But I know the hurdles I faced even after that,” he revealed.
Regarding his work with Manu, Sharma mentioned that he doesn’t impose his views on her, preferring to make minor adjustments. “The way I work, I don’t impose my views on the shooter. These days, kids are smart; they know what to do. I only tried to tweak a few things and it’s my commitment to Manu Bhaker that I will guide her in this Olympic campaign. There are two more matches,” he explained.
During the conversation, Sharma became emotional, emphasising his struggle. “Manu is the star; I am just a jobless coach. I am nobody. Manu made me relevant by asking for my help. I need to find a job soon; these three years have been very tough for me. I never wanted to talk about this. Is anyone going to get me a job? I have to ask around when I get back to India,” he asserted.
