Billionaire Sunjay Kapur (centre) died at 53 after reportedly swallowing a bee during a polo match in Windsor. Photo / Hindustan Times via Getty Images
Billionaire Sunjay Kapur (centre) died at 53 after reportedly swallowing a bee during a polo match in Windsor. Photo / Hindustan Times via Getty Images
A billionaire friend of Prince William has died at the age of 53 after swallowing a bee, it has been claimed.
Sunjay Kapur, an Indian businessman, fell ill during a polo match in Windsor, near London, on June 12.
Witnesses initially said that he was heard to have said, “I’veswallowed something”, prompting assumptions that he may have ingested an insect.
Reports suggested he was stung by a bee in the mouth, potentially sparking anaphylactic shock and causing a heart attack. Others claimed he lost consciousness after bending over on his horse during a break in play.
Kapur’s polo team, captained by Mark Tomlinson, was playing Sujan Indian Tigers in the subsidiary final of the Queen’s Cup when he fell ill. He had been playing at the prestigious Guards Polo Club in Windsor.
Kapur (left), a key figure in Sona Comstar, was known for his generosity and community involvement. Photo / The India Today Group via Getty Images
A friend of Kapur’s told Telegraph Sport: “He will be greatly missed not only by his family and friends but the local community around his club as he employed so many people and made so many friends – he was fun, kind and generous.
“He didn’t distinguish between his grooms or high net worth friends – when he had a party, everyone was invited and everyone was equal.”
According to Forbes, Kapur, who was also a US citizen, had an estimated net worth of US$1.2 billion ($2b).
The University of Buckingham graduate took over Sona Comstar, his father’s auto components maker, in 2015. Surinder Kapur, a pioneer in the Indian auto parts industry, had founded the company in 1995, running it until his death.
The company said in a statement: “A visionary leader, Kapur played a pivotal role in shaping Sona Comstar into a global mobility technology company built on innovation, sustainability, and purpose.”
The billionaire attended the Doon School in Uttarakhand, a 90-year-old boarding school in northern India, and later served on its board of governors.
The school, which is modelled on British public schools and charges £13,406 (about $30,200) per year for Indian students, described Kapur as a “passionate fitness and sport enthusiast and a learner for life”.
It added: “He worked to make polo more accessible beyond its traditional roots. Mr Kapur’s enduring commitment to excellence, service, and community leaves a lasting legacy.”
Kapur was friends with the Prince of Wales, and Karisma Kapoor, his ex-wife, claimed in a 2016 interview that he once left her to look after their child to play polo with the royal.
She said: “[Sunjay] decided to carry on, leaving me behind to take care of our sick 4-month-old son, just to play a polo match with Prince William.”
Kapur had children with the Bollywood star Kapoor before their divorce in 2016. He later married Priya Sachdev, a former model and entrepreneur, with whom he had a son.
Just before his death, Kapur posted a condolence message on X about Thursday’s fatal crash of an Air India flight in Ahmedabad.
He wrote: “Terrible news of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected. May they find strength in this difficult hour.”
