Sardar KM Panikkar's life and works form a fascinating narrative encompassing a wide diversity of roles, positions and interests. Panikkar was one of the early writers on the history of India's connections with the Indian Ocean. His seminal historical and literary works have influenced contemporary thoughts and perceptions and played a formative role in orienting independent India's maritime consciousness. Panikkar's emphasis on the need for a well-considered and effective naval policy as critical to India's security needs internalization amongst Indian political elite, policy makers, and academia, as there is a growing realisation of the significance of the Indian Ocean in India's strategic calculus.