Shillong, Sep 10: Shillong Sports Association President and sitting Mawphlang MLA, Syntar Klas Sunn, passed away suddenly today evening at his home. He was 62.
Sunn, a footballer himself in his youth, was also the father of Meghalaya star and former India international Eugeneson Lyngdoh. Coincidentally, today is Eugeneson’s birthday as well.
The funeral will be held tomorrow, with the last rites being conducted by 12 noon following all Covid protocols; the Health Department informed that Sunn tested positive for Covid-19 post-mortem.
Prior to entering politics, Sunn was a civil servant, working in the Public Health Engineering Department as Chief Engineer, and then ran in the 2018 state elections, which he won from Mawphlang as an independent.
He was elected as the President of the SSA in April 2019 on a four-year term. Sunn was keen to lift local football in Shillong but, sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic struck one year into his term.
“I am saddened beyond words by the sudden demise of SK Sunn, Hon’ble MLA of Mawphlang,” Chief Minister Conrad Sangma wrote on social media. “Bah Sunn always went above and beyond his call of duty to serve the people and I admired his hands-on approach to public service. My deepest condolences to his family, loved ones and admirers. May God be with them in this difficult time.”
President of the Meghalaya Football Association, Larsing Ming Sawyan, said that Sunn left his mark on football most indelibly by establishing not one but two football clubs that have contributed immensely to the development of football in the state. One of the clubs he was referring to is Rangdajied United.
“Rangdajied FC is one of the most accomplished clubs in the state and has also represented Meghalaya in the I-League,” Sawyan wrote in a condolence message on behalf of the MFA. “The final manifestation of his love for the game was in the realisation of his son Eugeneson Lyngdoh playing for the Indian national team and becoming one of the top footballers in the country.”
Football coach Bobby Lyngdoh Nongbet said he was deeply saddened by the sudden demise of the “dynamic personality”.
“Deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Sir SK Sunn. He was a motivator and an inspiration to all. He delivered a huge amount through his tireless efforts when it came to the development of football in the state. Such a dynamic personality with a huge mentorship quality and a great distinguished leader. He will be deeply missed,” Nongbet told TSR.
Marbisu SC also paid its condolences to the departed. In a press release, the club said that Sunn was one of the greatest supporters, not just of Marbisu but also of other clubs, since the time he was a civil servant.
“His sudden death is not just a loss for his family and constituency but for the whole of Meghalaya,” Marbisu said.
Another tribute came in from martial arts administrator Lorenzo Warjri, who had come to know Sunn by working in Mawphlang.
“You (Sunn) were there for me to encourage many things, especially for the youths in sports, for which I am doing till now because you were the one who really inspired me a lot,” Warjri wrote in an emotional message on Facebook.
(File photo)
