A very special moment occurred for Manyu Bhakar during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Asian Games in Yokohama. After she raised the national flag as part of the Indian team, she became emotional and remembered her late coach, Jaspal Rana. The star shooter, Manyu, noted that Rana's absence beside her at such an important moment was very difficult for her.
After the ceremony, Manyu Bhakar said: 'I missed Jaspal sir very much. This day was truly touching because he couldn't be with me.' Jaspal Rana was a former Indian shooting champion and later a successful coach. In the early stages of Manyu's career, he prepared this shooter not only technically but also psychologically. His guidance played a key role in Manyu winning two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Jaspal Rana passed away on June 11, 2026, at the age of 49. Following his death, it was the first major opportunity for Manyu Bhakar to lead the Indian delegation at the opening ceremony of a multi-sport competition. Previously, Manyu had mentioned that Jaspal Rana gave her specific advice regarding the opening ceremonies of multi-sport events.
He believed that if the competitions were starting soon, the athlete should focus on conserving energy rather than the ceremony itself. Rana advised Manyu to participate in the opening ceremony only if she was the flag bearer for the Indian team; otherwise, it was better to watch the ceremony on television and prepare for the competitions.
At the 2018 Asian Games, Manyu did not participate in the opening ceremony for this reason. At that time, she was in Palembang, while the main sports village was located in Jakarta.
At the Mizuho Athletics Stadium in Yokohama on Saturday, Manyu Bhakar once again led the Indian team. For the 24-year-old shooter, this was one of the moments in her career that Rana had foreseen in the early stages. This is why her emotions intensified during the ceremony. His absence at that moment, for which he once inspired her to move forward, was the most touching aspect for Manyu.
After the ceremony, Manyu Bhakar's attention will be focused entirely on the competitions. She will represent India at the Asian Games in the Women's 10m Air Pistol, Women's 25m Pistol, and Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol disciplines.
