SharonPly honours five woodcraft artisans at seventh I AM STRONGEST Awards
Chennai: Five traditional woodcraft artisans were honoured at the seventh edition of the SharonPly I AM STRONGEST Awards, recognising their contributions to wood carving, temple architecture and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship.
The 2026 edition, themed “CARVED IN STRENGTH: Honouring Generations of Craftsmanship & Innovation,” focused on artisans involved in temple chariots, sacred sculptures, architectural woodwork and other traditional creations.
The awardees are Perunthachar Appar Lakshmanan, Dr. R. Rangachari Sthapathi, S. Maasanam Achari, S. Thirunavukkarasu Sthapathi and Kumarasamy Ramesh Sthapathi.
Perunthachar Appar Lakshmanan, from the Thiruvallur region, was recognised for his work in traditional carpentry and temple chariot making. His projects include the Tamil Ther at Chennai International Airport. He received the Poompuhar State Award for 2011–2012, authored 10 books on carpentry and has trained students in wood sculpture.
Dr. R. Rangachari Sthapathi represents a 13-generation legacy of temple chariot making and traditional wood sculpture. His work includes hand-carved sculptures, decorative panels and architectural woodwork based on Tamil Nadu’s craft traditions.
S. Maasanam Achari of Madurai was recognised for large-scale wood carving using traditional hand tools. His family workshop, which has followed the craft for about 55 years, has produced deity figures, Chettinad-style doors and pooja mandapams. It has also contributed wooden structural components to the Meenakshi Amman Temple’s Velli Ambalam silver mandapam and supplied carved pillars and deity sculptures to Malaysia.
S. Thirunavukkarasu Sthapathi, a graduate of the Government College of Sculpture and Architecture, Mamallapuram, was recognised for his work in temple vahanams and sacred sculptural traditions. His major works include a 62-foot chariot for the Sri Pandurangan–Rukmini Temple at Govindapuram and a 32-foot Athi Vinayagar sculpture carved from athi wood and installed in Nagapattinam.
Kumarasamy Ramesh Sthapathi, who has more than two decades of experience, was recognised for his work in traditional woodcraft and large temple timber structures, as well as his efforts towards the welfare of fellow artisans. His projects include 90 doors made for Ayodhya’s Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, handed over in November 2025, along with temple projects in India and overseas.
SharonPly Founder and Managing Director Vishnu Khemani said the awards were intended to recognise the skills and knowledge passed down through generations of artisans and encourage the transfer of traditional craftsmanship to future generations.
The I AM STRONGEST Awards, launched in 2019, have previously recognised individuals and groups including wheelchair basketball player Malathi, social change maker Logammal, COVID-19 frontline workers, animal welfare contributors, Tamil Nadu’s Olympic hockey legends and retired senior Army officers serving as defence analysts.
The 2026 edition focused on traditional artisans and the craftsmanship behind heritage and architectural woodwork.
