Sunny Thomas, the former national shooting coach who was instrumental in ushering in India's golden age in shooting, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 83. Renowned for his transformative impact on the sport, he leaves behind a remarkable legacy that helped shape the future of Indian shooting on the global stage.

A True Champion

Under the guidance of Sunny Thomas, India secured over a hundred international medals in shooting — a glorious chapter in the nation's sporting history. He also coached Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, bringing further laurels to the country.

A native of Uzhavoor in Kottayam district, Kerala, Thomas served as the head coach of the Indian national shooting team for 19 years, from 1993 to 2012. He was himself a former Indian national champion in the rifle open sight event and one of the earliest champions in the discipline from Kerala.

Prior to dedicating himself full-time to coaching, Thomas was an English professor at St. Stephen’s College in Uzhavoor. Following his retirement from academia, he committed himself to shaping the future of Indian shooting, ultimately earning the prestigious Dronacharya Award for his contributions.

Final Rites

Sunny Thomas’ funeral will be held tomorrow at 12 noon at St. Martin de Porres Church, Thevakkal, Pookkattupady Road, Edappally.

Public viewing will be held today from 3 PM to 5 PM at St. Stephen’s College, Uzhavoor, where he served as a professor. Tomorrow, public viewing will also be held at his residence in Uzhavoor until 9 AM.