Rajaji was born on December 8, 1878 in Thorapalli Village near Hosur in Salem District of Tamilnadu. His mother was Shringaramma. His father Chakravarti lyengar was not only the village munsiff but also a great scholar in the Vedas, Puranas, and other Sanskrit lore. Rajaji completed his primary education in his native village and then joined the District Board High School at Hosur. Later he passed the B.A. degree examination from the Central College in Bangalore and secured a Law Degree in Madras.

When he was studying in the Law College in Madras, an interesting incident happened.

Swami Vivekananda visited Madras. He was put in the very hostel where Rajagopalachari was staying. Going round the rooms of the students in the hostel, he entered Raja- gopalachari's room. He saw on the wall a picture of Lord Krishna. He asked, "Why is Lord Sri Krishna blue in hue?" Raja- gopalachari, still a student, answered: "Sir, the sea is limitless. So is the sky. And both are blue. God is also boundless. And so His hue is also blue."

Swami Vivekananda was overjoyed. He said the young boy would rise to eminence and would become very famous.

It was in Salem that Rajaji began independent practice as a lawyer. He was just twenty years old. He came to be known as an expert in conducting criminal cases. He was so skilful that he won even very complicated cases quite easily.

Soon Rajaii became very famous as an advocate in Salem. He was the very first person there to own a car. When he was twenty, he married Alamelu Mangammal.

When he was just twenty-one, he conducted very difficult cases independently. His knowledge of law, his intelligence and his fearlessness brought him great fame and wealth in a short time.

Just then, the Government had prosecuted a patriot by name Varadarajulu Naidu; the charge was that he had spoken against the Government. Rajagopalachari was the advocate for Varadarajulu Naidu. Whenever Rajaji stood up to speak, the judge would say "Please sit down." Next day, at the very outset Rajaji stood up and made a submission: "I have great respect for the Honorable Judge. But if like a teacher in a classroom, Your Honor always asks me to sit down, I shall not be able to discharge my duty; and it will not add to the dignity of this court." The Judgeapologized to Rajaji. Finally, on the basis of Rajaji's arguments, Varadarajulu Naidu was acquitted.