Sunny Thomas, India’s legendary shooting coach and Dronacharya awardee, passes away

Kottayam: Sunny Thomas, the former national shooting coach who helped shape India’s golden era in shooting, passed away on Wednesday, leaving behind a towering legacy in Indian sports. He was 83. He passed away early this morning at his residence at Uzhavoor, Kottayam.

Sunny Thomas complained of dizziness and collapsed in his house after breakfast. His wife Josamma alerted the neighbours and sought help. A doctor rushed to the house to check on Sunny Thomas and said that his pulse was weak. An ambulance was called to take him to a private hospital in Pala, where he went for a routine check-up. "Before the ambulance arrived, he was declared dead. He died of cardiac arrest, according to the doctor," said Manoj Sunny, his son.

Sunny Thomas did not have any serious health concerns, according to his family and friends. He attended the Extraordinary General Body meeting (EGM) of the Kottayam Rifle Association in March. On Tuesday, he underwent a complete medical check-up at a hospital in Pala. "He was the most elite member of our association. Even last month, he was here, actively participating in the meeting. We have laid out a plan to amend the bylaw of the association and Sunny sir led the discussion. He was a key member of the bylaw amendment committee. His goodwill has always been the most precious asset of our association," said Cherian K Kalarickal, Secretary, Kottatam Rifle Association. Sunny Thomas was the association's chief patron.

Born on September 26, 1941, in Thidanad, Kottayam district, Kerala, Sunny Thomas was a champion rifle shooter, an academic, and one of the most influential coaches in the history of Indian shooting. Under his leadership from 1993 to 2012, Indian shooters clinched a remarkable 108 gold, 74 silver, and 53 bronze medals across the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.

A national champion himself in the Rifle 3 Position Open Sight event in 1976, Sunny began his association with shooting at the Kottayam Rifle Club in 1965. He transitioned into full-time coaching after retiring as an English professor from St Stephen’s College, Uzhavoor.

Sunny Thomas’s tenure as the national coach coincided with India’s emergence as a shooting powerhouse. He was the steady hand behind Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore’s historic silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the guiding force behind Abhinav Bindra’s pathbreaking gold at Beijing 2008—India’s first-ever individual Olympic gold. He also mentored Vijay Kumar (silver) and Gagan Narang (bronze), who won medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

On his 80th birthday, Abhinav Bindra had expressed gratitude to his coach through a video message, “I want to thank you for the guidance and support you provided me throughout my sporting career. As a patient and understanding mentor, you kept us going through the tough times. Thank you for being a pillar of strength and nurturing me to unfurl my fullest potential.”

His unmatched contribution to Indian sport was recognised with the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2001. Known for his patience, vision, and humility, Sunny Thomas earned the admiration of generations of shooters. 

He is survived by his wife, Prof K J Josamma, former head of the Botany Department at St Stephen’s College, and their three children—Manoj Sunny, Sanil Sunny, both former state-level shooting champions and daughter Sonia Sunny. The prayer will be held at Uzhavur church, and the funeral will be held at St Martin De Porres Syro-Malabar Church, Thevakkal. The time of the funeral will be decided later, his family said.