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Former National Shooting Coach and Dronacharya Awardee Professor Sunny Thomas Passes Away.

Obituary | Dated: 06 May 2025

In April 2025, Professor Sunny Thomas, the former National Rifle Shooting Coach of India and Dronacharya Awardee, passed away at the age of 83 in Uzhavoor, Kottayam district, Kerala. He was born in 1941 in Kottayam, Kerala.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - In 2001, Professor Sunny Thomas became the first shooting coach to receive the prestigious Dronacharya Award, India's highest recognition for excellence in sports coaching.
  • - Sunny Thomas began his association with shooting in 1965 when he joined the Kottayam Rifle Club. He was a five-time Kerala state champion and National Champion in 1976.
  • - He served as an English professor before retiring from academia in 1993 to focus on coaching and He was India's national shooting coach for 19 years, from 1993 to 2012.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) Under his coaching, Indian shooters won 4 Olympic medals, including India's first-ever individual Olympic gold medal by Abhinav Bindra (10m Air Rifle, Beijing 2008).
  • (ii) Indian shooters also earned medals in 6 World Championships, 50+ World Cups, 6 Asian Games, and 5 Commonwealth Games during his tenure.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Who was the former National Shooting Coach and Dronacharya Awardee who passed away recently?

Correct Answer: Sunny Thomas

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