Shanthini is the eldest daughter of Dr.G.Selwin and Mrs.Stella Selwin of NAGERCOIL.  She is the grand daughter of Mrs.Annammal Samuel who was a grand daughter of Rev.J.Joshua, the second Pastor of NAGERCOIL Home Church.  She had her early schooling at Bodinayakanur and continued it at the Duthie Girl’s Higher Secondary School, NAGERCOIL.  She got admission into the Stanley Medical College, Madras and took her M.B.B.S. Degree.  Then she joined the Madras Medical College for her Diploma course in Gynecology and Obstetrics and successfully completed it.  She is now employed as a Gynecologist at Trivandrum.

Shanthini got married to Dr.Basanth G.Nelson, son of Mr.M.Nelson, Secretary , Centre for Development, Madras, and Mrs. Victy Nelson, Principal, Bala Mandir Matriculation School, Vellore.  He did his schooling at Ida Scudder Higher Secondary School, Vellore.  Then he joined the Stanley Medical College, Madras, and took his M.B.B.S. Degree.  He took his Post Graduate Degree in General Surgery (M.S.) from the Madras Medical College.  He is now working as a Surgeon in a private institution in Trivandrum.

They have two children - a daughter named Roshni aged nine years and a son called Akshay aged seven years.

The family is now settled in Trivandrum.