Business Tycoon Sunjay Kapur Dies After Sudden Collapse During Polo Match in London
Industrialist and Sona Comstar chairman Sunjay Kapur suffered a fatal heart attack on the field, leaving behind a legacy in business and polo.
Thursday at Guards Polo Club turned sombre within minutes. What began as another sharp game on the lush Windsor fields ended with the shocking death of Indian businessman and seasoned polo player Sunjay Kapur. He was 53.
The incident happened mid-match. Kapur, moments before collapsing, reportedly said, “I’ve swallowed something.” Those around him thought little of it at first. But what followed was chaos—he staggered, lost balance, and was down.
Despite quick intervention from on-site medical staff, he could not be revived.
A Sudden Collapse, A Strange Detail
According to eyewitness accounts published in The Telegraph, Kapur appeared disoriented just before he collapsed. One spectator remembered hearing him say he may have swallowed something. Later, a few murmured it might’ve been a bee.
Friend and marketing professional Suhel Seth, speaking to ANI, stated that Kapur had “apparently swallowed a bee” and that it may have caused a cardiac episode. However, this has not been verified by any medical authority.
What we do know is that Sona Comstar, the automotive firm Kapur headed, issued a formal statement attributing his death to a heart attack. The company offered no further details.
Could A Bee Sting Trigger Cardiac Arrest?
Doctors consulted by The Economic Times explained that while rare, anaphylaxis—a serious allergic reaction—can set off a heart attack in some cases. One condition, Kounis Syndrome, has been documented where an allergic trigger causes spasms in coronary arteries.
If the sting occurs inside the throat, as might happen if someone swallows a bee, it can lead to blocked airways. Combined with allergy, that can become life-threatening quickly. Time is crucial, and in Kapur’s case, the reaction—if indeed that’s what happened—was fatal before help could reverse it.
The Man Off The Field
To many outside the business world, Sunjay Kapur was known for his high-profile marriage and eventual divorce from actor Karisma Kapoor. But those closer to him saw a different side: a focused entrepreneur, a sharp communicator, and someone genuinely passionate about polo.
His company, Sona Comstar, grew steadily under his watch. It went public, expanded its international footprint, and became a major name in EV components.
And yet, he didn’t talk shop all the time. “He could discuss engine torque with an engineer in the morning and still chat about vintage wine with friends at dinner,” a former colleague recalled.
At the polo club, he was well-liked. “He’d greet the groundsmen before the guests. That was just his style,” said a member of the club, who asked not to be named.
Sunjay’s Family Life And Personal Chapters
Kapur was married three times. First to designer Nandita Mahtani, then to Karisma Kapoor, with whom he had two children. Their divorce in 2016 drew media glare, not least because of the family names involved.
In 2017, he married Priya Sachdev, with whom he had a son. Friends say the last few years were his most settled. He divided his time between business, family, and sport.
The Wait For His Return
According to NDTV, Kapur was a U.S. passport holder, which has slowed down arrangements for flying his body back to India. His father-in-law, Ashok Sachdev, confirmed that a post-mortem is being conducted in London.
The family is planning to hold the funeral in Delhi, but legal clearances are still pending. “We’re doing everything we can. It’s just taking time,” said Sachdev.
A Quiet Irony
Earlier that same day, Sunjay had posted a message of condolence on X (formerly Twitter) for victims of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The coincidence wasn’t lost on those who saw his tweet, only to hear of his own passing hours later.
It’s hard to ignore the symmetry—offering sympathy in the morning, being the subject of it by night.
More Than A Headline
He wasn’t always in the news for the right reasons. And yet, over time, Kapur managed something not all public figures do—he kept evolving. Those who knew him say he’d grown more private in recent years. More thoughtful.
One friend put it simply: “Sunjay had his battles, but he found a rhythm. He was in a good place.”
Now, that rhythm has been broken. A match cut short. A voice silenced mid-sentence.
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