{"id":3001,"date":"2025-09-30T19:09:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T19:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chennaiexpress.org\/?p=3001"},"modified":"2025-09-30T19:09:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T19:09:03","slug":"sharonplys-6th-i-am-strongest-award-honours-army-veterans-turned-defence-analysts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chennaiexpress.org\/?p=3001","title":{"rendered":"SharonPly\u2019s 6th \u2018I AM STRONGEST\u2019 Award Honours Army Veterans-Turned Defence Analysts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"SharonPly\u2019s 6th \u2018I AM STRONGEST\u2019 Award Honours Army Veterans-Turned Defence Analysts CHENNAI EXPRESS\" width=\"1140\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vKqQSDUhixo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SharonPly\u2019s 6th \u2018I AM STRONGEST\u2019 Award Honours Army Veterans-Turned Defence Analysts<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chennai, 30 September 2025: The sixth edition of SharonPly\u2019s annual \u2018I AM STRONGEST\u2019 Awards, themed on \u2018Voices that stood behind the nation&#8217;s recent glory\u2019, honoured retired senior army officials-turned defence analysts, whose commentaries on Operation Sindoor not only guided policymakers and the public but also provided valuable insights to defence personnel in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instituted by SharonPly, a leading plywood brand and owner of India\u2019s largest plywood manufacturing plant in Gummidipoondi near Chennai, the \u2018I AM Strongest 2025\u2019 Awards honoured Lt. Gen. S. Harimohan Iyer, AVSM** (Retd.); Lt. Gen. Dushyant Singh, PVSM, AVSM (Retd.); Lt. Gen. P. R. Shankar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.); and Maj. Gen. Rajiv Narayanan, AVSM, VSM (Retd.). Having served the nation in senior military and research roles, they now continue to contribute as distinguished defence analysts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Vishnu Khemani, Founder &amp; Managing Director, SharonPly, said, \u201cStrength doesn\u2019t always wear an active uniform. Sometimes, it speaks through analysis, wisdom, and quiet conviction \u2014 guiding a nation not from the frontlines, but from the forum. These veterans didn\u2019t retire \u2014 they redefined service. While the world applauds our soldiers, we chose to honour those whose words fortified minds, guided policy, and united citizens. They are the unseen architects of our national confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On #iamstrongest award, he said, \u201cThis initiative, launched in 2019, is our tribute to stories of strength, resilience, and determination. Its highlight is the annual awards ceremony, which honours individuals who have made outstanding contributions to society. It is vital to celebrate the human mind\u2014generous, kind, gracious, and strong. Through this initiative, we bring forward stories of grit and courage, empathy and selflessness, that showcase the true potential of the human spirit. As a company, we remain deeply committed to this vision and will continue to recognise changemakers across diverse categories in the years ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In line with its vision, the award is presented each year around a specific theme, celebrating individuals whose lives and actions embody strength and resilience. In 2019, the inaugural #iamstrongest Awards by SharonPly honoured stories of grit, courage, and selflessness. The first awardees were Ms. Malathi (wheelchair basketball player) and Ms. Logammal (social change maker through Children\u2019s Parliament). In 2020, the awards saluted Tamil Nadu\u2019s frontline warriors who lost their lives to COVID-19. Honourees were Dr. A. Simon Hercules, Inspector Balamurali, and Nurse Joan Mary Priscilla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, the awards recognised everyday heroes of the pandemic\u2019s second wave. Awardees included Mr. Muthupandi (fruit vendor, Thoothukudi), Mr. Chandrasekhar and Mrs. Pushparani (Trichy couple offering rice at \u20b95), Mr. Arun Kumar (No Food Waste, Chennai), and Mr. Kalyanasundaram (street food seller). In 2022, the awards celebrated champions of animal welfare. Honourees were Ms. Anjali Sharma, Mr. Sekar (Birdman of Chennai), Ms. Prabha Venugopal, Mr. Shravan Kumar, and The Elephant Whisperers &#8211; Mr. Bomman and Mrs. Bellie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2024, the awards highlighted Tamil Nadu\u2019s Olympic hockey legends. The awardees were Mr. Vasudevan Baskaran, Mr. Charles Cornelius, Mr. Muneer Sait, Mr. Victor John Philips, and Mr. Krishnamurthy Perumal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SharonPly, established in 1987, is among India\u2019s most trusted names in plywood, decorative veneers, and allied products. Backed by ISO 9002 and ISO 14001 certifications, the company is known for its consistent focus on quality, product innovation, and eco-friendly practices. Extending its ethos of resilience and excellence beyond business, SharonPly has instituted the #iamstrongest Awards to honour individuals who exemplify strength of character and inspire society.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SharonPly\u2019s 6th \u2018I AM STRONGEST\u2019 Award Honours Army Veterans-Turned Defence Analysts Chennai, 30 September 2025: The sixth edition of SharonPly\u2019s annual \u2018I AM STRONGEST\u2019 Awards, themed on \u2018Voices that stood behind the nation&#8217;s recent glory\u2019, honoured retired senior army officials-turned defence analysts, whose commentaries on Operation Sindoor not only guided policymakers and the public but [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3002,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commercial","post_format-post-format-image"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/chennaiexpress.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/I-AM-STRONGEST-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2827,"url":"https:\/\/chennaiexpress.org\/?p=2827","url_meta":{"origin":3001,"position":0},"title":"Radiant Wellness Conclave 2025 Celebrates a Decade of Dialogue and Transformation","author":"CHENNAI EXPRESS","date":"August 10, 2025","format":"image","excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/F6XwOMMBkZY Radiant Wellness Conclave 2025 Celebrates a Decade of Dialogue and Transformation Chennai: The Radiant Wellness Conclave 2025 marked its tenth year with a thought-provoking gathering of changemakers from across India. 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