The Lodestar

Sunny Jacob is known in North India for his famous Hindi Christian songs. Songs such as Prano Se Pyare Yeshu Mere (My Jesus, More Precious than Life), Raktam Jayam (Victory Through Blood), Gata Gagan Hai (The Skies Sing), Apne Lahu Se Dho Do Masih (Christ wash us with Your Blood),and Jo Yahowa Per Rakhega Bharosa Apna (One who trusts in Yahweh) are well-known. He was born on January 1, 1960, in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. After accepting Jesus as his saviour at the young age of 19, he dedicated his life to serving Christ. He faithfully served through his ministry in Damoh, Sagar, Udaipur, and various parts of India.

Worship Against All Odds

Sunny was a creative and committed worshipper who overcame significant challenges in the 1970s and 1980s in India. Lacking access to instruments and resources, he built his own drum kit, amplifier, and speakers and taught himself to play the guitar. Sunny travelled across India with his handmade instruments and heavy equipment. He did it despite the hardships of that era, with no confirmed travel tickets, limited communication, and long, uncomfortable journeys. Often standing for hours in overcrowded trains, he bore visible strap marks on his shoulders and back from carrying his guitar and gear. Yet, his passion for worship and unwavering dedication became a solid foundation for today’s music ministry.

Echoes in the North: A Worshiper’s Lasting Imprint

Interestingly, almost any Christian living in North India over the past 20–30 years would have been familiar with at least one of Sunny’s songs. His songs can be heard being sung in both Catholic and Protestant churches. Sunny’s first album was Jeevandhara (Stream of Life). He also served as a singer with the Marg, Satya, and Jivan RadioMinistry. In 1983–84, he relocated to Udaipur and became an integral part of the Native Missionary Movement (NMM) in Rajasthan. His death came suddenly. On 16th October 1990, Sunny left for a convention in Nawapur, a town on the Gujarat-Maharashtra border. An accident happened, and Sunny lost his life on the very next day in the early hours. Though he was completely covered in blood, even in his last moments, his last words were: “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, Raktam Jayam.”

Sunny’s Enduring Message

One can sum up the life of Sunny with this line from his Prano Se Pyare song. It boldly declares: “In your love, my Jesus, I got so captivated that by getting you, I got all the happiness of life.” Although he went to be with the Lord at the young age of 30, having served in ministry for just a few years, he made a timeless impact on the lives of many people. His legacy endures through his songs and serves as an inspiration for young people to follow in his footsteps. His life becomes a testimony that our one day is like a thousand years to God (2 Peter 3:8), and God can do mighty things without time being a constraint.

(Elisha Nicholas Bharti, hailing from Nainpur, Madhya Pradesh, is currently pursuing his Master of Theology in Old Testament at New Theological College, Dehradun. Along with his love for Biblical Studies, his interests extend to Church History, Mission, and the pressing socio-contextual issues shaping faith today.)