Thiruvananthapuram, May 21 (PTI): Mathunny Mathews, the Indian businessman in Kuwait who played a role in the safe evacuation of Indians stranded in that country during the Iraqi invasion of 1990, passed away in Kuwait yesterday.

Popularly known as "Toyota Sunny", Mathews was said to be the inspiration for the character Akshay Kumar played in the film Airlift.

Mathews, 81, who hailed from Kumbanad in Kerala's Pathnamthitta district, was ailing for some time, media reports here said.

Offering his condolences, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that during the 1990 war Mathews had helped thousands of Indians to flee the Gulf nation and his services would always be remembered.

"Extremely sad news, was an honour to portray him on screen. Thoughts and prayers with his family," Akshay Kumar said in a tweet.

Mathews left for Kuwait in 1956 at the age of 20 in search of a job. He joined as a typist in Toyota and rose to become its managing director, a post from which he retired in 1989.

He started a car rental company and a general trading company in 1990 and was the chairman of Jabriya Indian school.