Padma Lakshmi shares nostalgic 1977 Chennai childhood throwback

Padma Lakshmi shared a 1977 childhood photograph from Chennai, recalling summers with her family, learning to drive her grandfather's Ambassador, and memories of cooking lessons, mosquitoes and the Coromandel sun. The nostalgic Instagram post delighted fans with a glimpse into her early life

Mumbai: India-born supermodel, TV host, producer, cookbook author and actor Padma Lakshmi took a trip down memory lane by sharing an old childhood photograph from 1977, reminiscing about summers spent in Chennai with her family.

Lakshmi took to Instagram, where she fondly recalled learning to drive her grandfather’s 1969 Ambassador years later and the vivid memories of the Coromandel sun, mosquitoes and permission to play outside in the evenings.

---

She wrote in her caption section: “Speaking of summers in Chennai – here we are in 1977 sitting on my grandfather’s 1969 Ambassador car. I would later learn to drive this thing in the 80s on the road to Mahabalipuram.”

Lakshmi went on to share that her aunt taught her a lot about cooking. “That’s my Aunt Banu on the right, who taught me a lot about cooking and multiplication tables. She’d lock me in the room while everyone else watched Doordarshan television.”

She added: That’s my mom with the specs, all glamorous, straight from New York for the occasion of my grandfather’s 60th birthday puja. That’s me in the pigtails, and next to me is my cousin Aarti. Next to her is Rajni with the sharpest nails in kindergarten. And next to her is Papu.”

Recalling her memories from India, she wrote: “I can feel the mosquitos and the hot Coromandel sun beating down on us in what would have still been late in the day or early evening (my grandmother did not let us out until the sun was low). Hope you enjoy this throwback photo.”

Born in India, Lakshmi immigrated to the United States as a child. She became a model before embarking on a career on television. She has written five books. She rose to prominence by hosting Top Chef. Lakshmi is the creator, host, and executive producer of the docuseries Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi. She has received 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations.