Thousands of people from all walks of life gathered at NECK Church premise in Kuwait city to pay their last respect to the hero of Indian community in Kuwait Sri Sunny Mathews. The body of 'Toyota Sunny', as popularly known in the community, was kept at the National Evangelical Church of Kuwait (NECK) premise at Kuwait City for the people to pay their last respect.
Despite the dusty weather and working day, 1000's of people from all walks of life paid their tribute to the departed soul. Indian Ambassador to Kuwait HE Sunil Jain, Indian Embassy officials, Mubarak Naser Al-Sayer - CEO of Al-Sayer Group Holding, M A Yusuf Ali - Chairman of Lulu Group, Members of Al Sayer Family, NBTC Group Managing Director KG Abraham, Kuwait Swedish Cleaning Company Chairman Mr Asad Khan, Al Mailem group MD KS Lamba, Prominent Indian and Kuwaiti Business leaders are a few who visited NECK to pay their last homage to Sunny Mathews. Ambassador Sunil Jain, MA Yusuf Ali, business leaders and other dignitaries condoles the family members of Sunny Mathew who was present at the NECK.
Prominent businessman, doctors and professionals, community leaders and members of Indian community attended the mass held at the NECK to pay their respect to Sunny Mathews. Large number of Kuwaiti nationals also paid their tribute to Sunny Mathews. Number of students and teachers also visited NECK to pay their tribute to the founder chairman of Jabriya Indian School. Various Indian associations and Business establishments in Kuwait laid wreath on his body.
Mr Sunny Mathews is one of the early Indian who migrated to Kuwait in 1956. He was popularly known as Toyota Sunny, owing to his work in Kuwait with the Toyota agency owned by the Al-Sayer Group. He retired in 1989 as its MD. Later he set up his own business group under 'Safeena' Trading. He is also one of founder chairman of Jabriya Indian School and one of the founding members of the Indian Art’s Circle. Toyota Sunny played an active role in the evacuation of Indians during the invasion in 90s. It was his own life story, which came as the recent block buster in Bollywood titled 'AirLift' where Akshay Kumar played his role.
During the invasion time, Toyota Sunny put his life at risk helping 1,70,000 Indians return back to their homeland. This evacuation was recorded as India’s largest, record-setting humanitarian evacuation in the history of the world.
Last year External Affairs Minister Gen V K Singh visited Sunny Mathews at his residence during his visit to Kuwait. He congratulated him and thanked him for all his support during the invasion time in Kuwait.
The funeral service is scheduled to be held on Friday afternoon at Elim Indian Pentecostal Church in Kumbanad in Kerala, India.