In pre- and early-Independent India, Pankajam, the central figure in this family history, carved an extraordinary path for a housewife seeking intellectual growth beyond domestic confines. With limited financial freedom in the 1930s and 1940s, she navigated the vibrant bookshops of Moore Market in Madras, drawn to classics, science and philosophy volumes that ignited curiosity well beyond household chores.

While her days were devoted to raising children, her approach to parenthood was deeply informed by thoughtful study. She read widely on child care, nutrition, psychology and education, determined to nurture her children’s minds as much as their bodies. Her methods, though sometimes unconventional, reflected a progressive belief in informed motherhood at a time when formal intellectual pursuits for women were rare.

Pankajam’s engagement with Montessori education and her adaptation of schooling to her children’s needs underscored her commitment to learning both for herself and her family. She embraced mother-tongue schooling amidst the rising national movement, reflecting broader cultural shifts.

Her legacy was not merely in books amassed or lessons taught, but in the intellectual environment she fostered at home, one that valued curiosity, compassion and critical thinking in an era of national transformation.