Kottayam: The Indian shooting community mourns the loss of Sunny Thomas, a revered coach who guided Abhinav Bindra to become India's first individual Olympic gold medalist. Thomas passed away at the age of 83 due to a cardiac arrest at his residence on Wednesday.

On that fateful day, Thomas experienced discomfort at home, prompting his wife to seek assistance from neighbors. Unfortunately, he passed away before help could arrive.

His last rites are scheduled for Thursday.

Despite his advanced age, Thomas remained actively engaged in the sport he loved, attending a meeting of the Kottayam Rifle Association just last month. An English professor by profession, he dedicated himself to coaching after retiring, taking the helm of the Indian shooting team in 1993 and serving until 2012.

Before his coaching career, Thomas was a national champion in the rifle open sight category.

During his tenure, he led Indian shooters to an impressive tally of 108 gold, 74 silver, and 53 bronze medals across various competitions, including the Olympics, World Championships, and Asian Games.

In recognition of his exceptional contributions to the sport, he received the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2001.

In addition to mentoring Bindra, Thomas played a pivotal role in Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's silver medal achievement at the Olympics and coached other medalists like Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang at the 2012 London Olympics. Notably, both of his sons are also accomplished state-level shooting champions.

V.D. Satheesan, the Leader of Opposition, expressed his condolences, stating, "Thomas's coaching prowess led to 29 medals at the Asian Games and 95 at the Commonwealth Games, highlighting his dedication to the sport. His absence will leave a significant void in the sporting world."