Kuwait City, May 21: Mathunny Mathews alias Toyota Sunny, known for his role in the evacuation of Indians after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 died in his home here in Qadasiya. He was 81. The body will be brought back to Podippara, Eraviperoor in Pathanamthitta district for the funeral in Kerala. Mathews inspired the Character of the main protagonist Ranjit Katyal in the film ‘Airlift’. Saddened by his death, actor Akshay Kumar on Sunday said it was an honour to play his role in the Airlift.
Expressing his condolence, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Sunday that during the 1990 Gulf war Mathews had helped thousands of Indians to flee the gulf nation and his services would always be remembered.By not taking efforts to save his own life and property, Mathews had done yeoman service to bring his countrymen, who had lost everything in the war, safely back, Vijayan said.“He provided food and drinking water to the stranded Indians and we remember it with gratitude,” Vijayan said.
Mathews played a pivotal role in evacuating more than 1.7 lakh Indians, mostly hailing from his home state Kerala. He reportedly drove to Baghdad to meet the then External Affairs minister Inder Kumar Gujral to apprise him of the misery confronted by Indians in Kuwait. After a long negotiation with Iraqi government led by Saddam Hussain, Indian government successfully conducted the biggest evacuation in the known history of the world.
Mathews lived in Kuwait for more than six decades and proved instrumental in providing leadership to Indian Diaspora in Kuwait. In an interview to The Hindu after the release of Airlift, Mathews said he was happy with the recognition for his contribution during the gulf war. Iraq invaded Kuwait after the crisis in the middle east escalated. The war continued for months as the Iraqi soldiers put flames to every oil well after the American Army pushed them back to the home. Mathews was also Toyota Suuny for long association with leading automobile dealer Al-Sayer Group.
(With inputs from PTI)
