Dr. Maria Montessori, founder of the Montessori Method of education. It began with a group of five children in the year 1989 with the aim of providing an atmosphere where learning is a joyful experience for children. Ms. Bhavani Kumar, the founder of Patasala, nurtured a great passion to work with young children long before she obtained her Masters degree in literature. She discovered that the Montessori philosophy of helping children learn naturally in a cooperative, non-competitive and friendly environment reflected her aim. Hence, in 1995, she acquired an International Diploma in Primary Montessori education from the Association Montessori Internationale, Amsterdam (AMI). The same year Patasala was converted into a Montessori House of Children. She also subsequently acquired a Montessori Elementary diploma from AMI and set up the Elementary environment in June 2003. Patasala has now grown to a strength of over a hundred children ranging from the age of two and a half to twelve years. Patasala comprises of two Primary environments for 2 ½ to 6 year olds and one Elementary environment for children between 6 and 12 years of age. All environments have 35 children each with two Montessori trained teachers to assist them with their work. The schooli is located Nungambakkam.