Gagan Narang (born 6 May 1983) is a former Indian sport shooter who won the bronze medal in the men’s 10 metre air rifle at the 2012 London Olympics. He won eight gold medals across the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and held a world record in his event. He founded the Gun for Glory shooting academies and was the chef de mission of the Indian team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Gagan Narang |
| Born | 6 May 1983, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Age | 43 |
| Hometown | Hyderabad |
| Sport | Shooting (10m air rifle, 50m rifle) |
| Olympic medal | Bronze, 10m air rifle (London 2012) |
| Olympics | 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 |
| Spouse | Annu Raj Singh (shooter) |
| Honours | Arjuna Award (2005), Padma Shri (2011), Khel Ratna (2011) |
Early Life
Narang was born in Chennai to a family from Haryana and grew up in Hyderabad, where his father worked for Air India. His father gave him an air pistol when he was a small boy, and he began shooting seriously in 1997. To buy him a rifle the family sold a plot of land.
Career
He won gold at the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad in 2003. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne he won four gold medals. In 2008 he missed the Olympic final in Beijing on a countback, then weeks later shot a perfect 600 in qualification at the World Cup Final in Bangkok and set a world record total of 703.5.
At the Delhi Games he again won four golds, in the 10m air rifle and 50m rifle three positions, individual and pairs, the latter with Abhinav Bindra. He also won bronze at the World Championships that year.
On 30 July 2012 he won India’s first medal of the London Games, finishing third in the 10m air rifle with a total of 701.1.
He won silver and bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and competed at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Gun for Glory
In 2011 he and Pawan Singh founded the Gun for Glory academy in Pune to give young shooters access to equipment and coaching. It has since opened centres in many cities and trained Olympians including Elavenil Valarivan.
Personal Life
He is married to the international pistol shooter Annu Raj Singh. At Paris in 2024 he led the Indian contingent as chef de mission, replacing Mary Kom.
Major Medals
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Gagan Narang born?
Gagan Narang was born on 6 May 1983 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India and is 43 years old.
What honours has Gagan Narang received?
Arjuna Award (2005), Padma Shri (2011), Khel Ratna (2011).
Featured image: Gagan Narang is felicitated by President Pranab Mukherjee after his Olympic bronze, New Delhi, 18 August 2012. Photo by President’s Secretariat, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
