3-year curse has been lifted: Manu Bhaker’s coach Jaspal Rana

Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, July 28

Jaspal Rana, sitting in the visitors’ gallery, was one emotional man. Manu Bhaker had just won the women’s 10m air pistol bronze. It was a moment to savour for both, who were criticised after the debacle and its fallout when both cut ties months before the Tokyo Olympics.

Back then, Rana, who was part of the coaching set-up, had proposed that Manu should skip the women’s 25m pistol competition and concentrate only on the 10m air pistol individual and mixed team competitions.

The result was that Manu broke ranks and asked the then National Rifle Association of India president Raninder Singh to intervene. Ronak Pandit was then asked to coach Manu just a few months before the Tokyo Games.

There were differences between Manu and Jaspal, both temperamental characters, before the final falling out. The result in Tokyo, where shooters failed to win a medal, meant Jaspal was made the villain, a central figure that ‘disrupted’ the team. It had a lasting impact on both their careers. While Jaspal was seen as an outcast, Manu’s scores began to slide.

On Sunday, though, the dynamic duo redeemed itself, with India’s first medal in Paris. “I am relieved, to be honest. Felt like the curse that I was carrying from the Tokyo Games. I will not say it is over now that she has won a medal but it is such a big relief for all of us,” Rana told The Tribune from Chateauroux, France.

Even this time, things were not that easy. Jaspal was not supposed to be in Chateauroux as NRAI only recommends sending coaches who are on its panel. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) top brass, including PT Usha, got him the accreditation for the Games. “I knew I would not be sitting behind Manu today, as I did not have the ticket. But we had prepared for this eventuality and she was so comfortable and calm, credit to her,” Rana explained.

The two came back together as a unit a little more than a year ago after the realistation that all the parties were wrong in their utterances.

“I always overreact and we came to this conclusion, everyone, including us and the media, played a part in the falling out. So this time, starting afresh, we had decided we will not talk about what happened in Tokyo. As an athlete she has matured as well. She called me out of the blue to help her again, I just couldn’t say no to her,” Jaspal said.