Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun/Tehri, 29 Jun: Shyama Devi, mother of the late international shooter Jaspal Rana, was cremated on the banks of the Yamuna River at her ancestral village Chilamu in Nainbagh area of Tehri district, today. She passed away at a hospital in Delhi last evening after a prolonged illness. Thousands of people attended the last rites and bid her a tearful farewell. As a mark of respect, the Nainbagh Suman Kyari market remained completely closed throughout the day.
Nainbagh Gram Pradhan Manish Chauhan observed that the bereaved family has been struck by successive tragedies. He recalled that international shooter Jaspal Rana had passed away only a few days ago, while his mother had now succumbed to a prolonged illness, leaving former Sports Minister Narayan Singh Rana devastated by the double bereavement.
It may be recalled that Shyama Devi, aged 72, breathed her last at a Delhi hospital yesterday after battling a prolonged illness. In a poignant coincidence, she passed away exactly 50 years after the birth of her son Jaspal Rana, whose birthday was yesterday. The emotional significance of the date has deeply moved people across the region. News of her demise cast a pall of gloom over her native area of Nainbagh.
It may be recalled that ace shooter Jaspal Rana, son of senior BJP leader Narayan Singh Rana and a resident of Chilamu village in Tehri district, had died unexpectedly just 16 days earlier. Owing to Shyama Devi’s critical health condition, the family had not informed her about the death of her son. It is learnt that during her illness she repeatedly expressed her desire to see Jaspal one last time, unaware that he had already passed away before her. Her demise has also been widely mourned by people of the region.
The family members said her health had deteriorated further after 12 June, the day Jaspal Rana passed away. It may also be recalled that Jaspal Rana was serving as the High Performance Coach for India’s pistol shooters. He had complained of chest pain while returning to India from the ISSF World Cup in Munich. Following his arrival, he underwent stent surgery at a hospital in Delhi and was reportedly recovering before news of his sudden demise shocked the sporting fraternity.
Jaspal Rana had stunned the shooting world by creating a world record at the age of just 18. During his illustrious career, he brought laurels to the country by winning numerous medals and maintaining India’s dominance in shooting competitions at the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
Dhami expresses grief over passing of Shyama Devi Rana
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 29 Jun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed deep sorrow at the demise of Shyama Devi Rana, wife of Narayan Singh Rana and mother of shooter and Padma Shri awardee Jaspal Rana.
In his condolence message, Dhami paid tribute to the departed soul and prayed to the Almighty to grant her a place at His feet. He also prayed for strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.
