Leaving behind a high-paying government job to follow one’s passion isn’t an easy decision. But that’s exactly what 36-year-old Anila Mathew, a native of Kochi, did. After stepping down from her role at the Indian Oil Corporation, Anila launched Kinder Kalari, an initiative aimed at ensuring children don’t lose their emotional connection with the Malayalam language.

The idea came from her own experiences as a mother of twins. “When they were toddlers, I realised there was a clear lack of well-designed early-learning materials in Malayalam, comparable to what’s easily available in English. That insight led me to step away from my role at Indian Oil Corporation and build this full-time. Two years on, Kinder Kalari is now a registered company,” she said.

Ironically, by the time her vision came to life, her own children were no longer the right age to use the flashcards. But Anila said it was worth the effort. “One mother called me, excited that her toddler had pointed out an "M" in the McDonald's sign and correctly identified it as ‘na’ in Malayalam, instead,” she said. Anila’s journey started with the launch of Aksharamala, a set of bilingual flashcards that introduce toddlers to the Malayalam alphabet in a fun, colourful way. The cards, which are printed with care and attention to detail, have been a hit, with over 1,500 sold in just two years.

“Many parents don’t realise until it’s too late that their children are losing touch with Malayalam,” Anila said. She added that parents living in Kerala often believe such content is only necessary for children raised out of the state with little exposure to Malayalam, but the challenge is real in Kerala too.

“Parents in Kerala, especially in cities, assume their children are exposed to the language just by living here. But in today’s world, kids are consuming a lot of content in English—whether through YouTube, cartoons, or even global trends like K-Pop and Korean dramas. These things are so accessible and easy to consume, which make them highly influential.” Interestingly, the majority of inquiries Anila receives, come from parents who realise their teenage children are struggling with Malayalam, often after it's too late.

The goal of Kinder Kalari, she said, isn’t to create a superiority complex of the Malayalam language, but rather to foster an early love and respect for the mother tongue. Today, she has expanded her impact, taking flashcards to literary festivals, using play, conversation and storytelling rather than formal instruction. In 2025, Kinder Kalari also published a bilingual illustrated storybook for toddlers, continuing its effort to make mother-tongue learning accessible and joyful.

So, does the education system in Kerala do enough to instill a love for Malayalam? “The system does its part, but schools stick to the curriculum. The New Education Policy does emphasise Malayalam, but our goal is to ensure children grow up bilingual—fluent in both Malayalam and English—while keeping a strong emotional connection to their mother tongue,” Anila said.

Anila has also taken on a role as one of the directors at Anaswara Printing Press, a family business in Kochi, founded by her father and his partners. Additionally, she’s launched another initiative called ‘Poonthotta Paripalanam,’ designed to teach children about gardening and the magic of plants growing from seeds.