Kovai big shots thank the women in their lives on Women's Day

They say behind every successful man, there is a woman. On Women’s Day, CT talks to a few successful men in the city, who consider the women in their lives, a pillar of support.
K Ilango, Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry
Manju (Ilango) and I have been married for over 25 years now. If I have been able to involve myself in all the social dos in the city, the credit goes to my wife.She has been an important part of my professional journey. She has taken care of all the essential needs in the family, which has taken away half the pressure off my head. Whenever my absence has been felt at home, she has stepped in and taken care of the situation. She now handles most of the financial aspects as well. Most importantly, she has always been there for the children and ensured that they do not miss me much.
A Murugananthan, Social Entreprenuer
When the whole world thought I was crazy to wear sanitary pads and experiment with them, my wife stood by me. This was during the stage when I was trying to create a revolution of sorts with low-cost sanitary pads. The women in the locality would go and tell her that I had gone mad and that I stank, but Shanthi took it all in her stride. She never let the faith in me falter. She has been my backbone back at home and in my entrepreneurship stint. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to provide job opportunities to so many women. Shanthi has started making sanitary napkins on her own and has been giving them as seeru (a gift given when a girl attains puberty) to girls along with the sweets and fruits.
Adam Sinclair, former Indian Hockey Player
As far as my sports career is concerned, it’s my mother, (Deno Sinclair) who has been a great support-both materialistic and emotional. She would come to the stadium every time I played and cheered me on. I used to be a cry baby during my college days. So, when I lost a match or didn’t perform well, I would be shattered. But since my mother was an athlete too, she knew how to convince me. She was always motivating me. On the other hand, my mother-in-law (TS Vasanthi Nair), has played a crucial role in my business venture. If not for her, I would have never taken the plunge into business. She was the one who taught me the nuances of business from the scratch. Whatever I learnt about export, import, products and quality control, it’s all because of her.
Shankar Vanavarayar, Educationist
The best way to describe my mother (Karunambal Vanavarayar) is the strongest shock absorber during a rocky ride on an adventure. Be it any situation, my mother has always showered me with pure unconditional love and most importantly, has let me allowed me to be myself. My wife (Samyuktha), too has never complained despite my work schedule. She has always maintained, ‘How can I complain when I see you enjoying your work.’ She knows my timings are disproportionate and erratic, but has supported me nevertheless and been quite understanding.