KOTTAYAM|KOCHI: Prof. Sunny Thomas, the celebrated shooting coach who transitioned from an English professor to one of India’s most impactful sports mentors, passed away early on Wednesday following a heart attack. He was 85.
A native of Uzhavoor in Kerala’s Kottayam district, Thomas was instrumental in revolutionising Indian shooting, having mentored the country’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra.
During his remarkable stint as the chief coach of the Indian national shooting team from 1993 to 2012, India witnessed a golden era in the sport.
Under his guidance, Indian shooters clinched historic Olympic medals, including Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore’s silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, India’s first individual silver, and Bindra’s groundbreaking gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.
The success continued at the 2012 London Olympics, where Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang bagged silver and bronze respectively, again under Thomas’s watch.
“Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Prof Sunny Thomas. He was more than a coach, he was a mentor, guide and father figure to generations of Indian shooters. His belief in our potential and his relentless dedication to the sport laid the foundation for India’s rise in international shooting. He played a big role in my early years and I will always be grateful for his support and guidance,” Bindra posted on X.
His coaching tenure saw India amass 108 gold, 74 silver and 53 bronze medals across various tournaments, including the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships.
Notably, Indian shooters earned 29 medals at the Asian Games and a staggering 95 at the Commonwealth Games during his leadership.
Thomas, a former national champion in the rifle open sight category and a five-time Kerala state champion, had begun his career in academics. Born on 26 September 1941 to K.K. Thomas and Marykutty of the Meckatt family in Thidanad, Kottayam, he pursued higher studies at CMS College, Kottayam. He taught English at Sacred Heart College, Thevara, before joining St Stephen’s College, Uzhavoor, where he eventually retired and took up full-time coaching. His passion for shooting began in 1965 when he joined the Kottayam Rifle Club.
For his unparalleled contribution to Indian shooting, he was honoured with the Dronacharya Award in 2001.
Prof. Sunny Thomas is survived by his wife, Prof. K.J. Josamma, a former botany professor at St Stephen’s College, and their children—Manoj Sunny, Sanil Sunny, and Sonia Sunny.