Gagan Narang is an Indian sport shooter who specialises in the rifle disciplines of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). He is best known for winning the bronze medal in the 10 metre air rifle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, becoming the first Indian to win a medal at those Games. He has also been a multiple-time medallist at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and ISSF World Cup events.
| Full name | Gagan Narang |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 May 1983 |
| Place of birth | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Hometown | Hyderabad, Telangana |
| Sport | Shooting (rifle) |
| Events | 10 m air rifle, 50 m rifle three positions, 50 m rifle prone |
| Major medal | Bronze, 10 m air rifle, 2012 Summer Olympics, London |
| Civilian honours | Arjuna Award (2010), Padma Shri (2011), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2010–11) |
Narang was born in Chennai and grew up in Hyderabad, where he took to competitive shooting in his teenage years. He trained extensively at indoor ranges in Hyderabad and was supported in his early career by his family, who invested in personal coaching and equipment. He pursued formal education alongside his shooting career and continued to be based in Hyderabad as he established himself on the national circuit.
Narang represented India at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he competed in the 10 m air rifle but did not progress to the medal rounds. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he won the bronze medal in the 10 m air rifle event, opening India's medal tally at those Games. He also competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Narang has been one of India's most successful Commonwealth Games shooters. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, he won multiple gold medals across the 10 m air rifle individual and pairs events, as well as the 50 m rifle three positions and 50 m rifle prone disciplines, contributing significantly to India's medal tally. He had earlier won medals at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and continued to medal at subsequent editions.
Narang has won medals at the Asian Games and at ISSF World Cup events in the air rifle and three positions formats. He has held world record marks in the 10 m air rifle qualification round during ISSF competitions and has finished on the podium at various ISSF World Cup stages.
Narang founded the Gun For Glory shooting academy, headquartered in Pune, with branches in several Indian cities, to train young shooters at grassroots and elite levels. He has also been involved with Project Leap, an initiative aimed at identifying and supporting Indian shooters with Olympic potential. He served as the Chef-de-Mission of the Indian contingent at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Narang's medal at the 2012 Olympics was India's first at those Games and reinforced shooting's emergence as one of India's most consistent Olympic disciplines after Abhinav Bindra's gold in 2008 and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's silver in 2004. His coaching academy has contributed to widening the base of competitive rifle shooting in India, and his administrative role at the Paris 2024 Olympics marked a transition into sports leadership.