Parti fédéral
Poongkothai is the granddaughter of S. J. V. Chelvanayakam, a Sri Lankan politician and leader of the Federal Party (TULF). Her maternal grandfather, Dr. E. M. V. Naganathan, was a Senator and the Secretary of the Federal Party. E. M. V. Naganathan is a descendant of the royal families of Jafna.