 He was born Paddinjattedathu Chacko John in 1875 at Kumbanad, Kerala to Padinjattedathu Chacko of the Kumbanattu (also can be spelled Kumbanadu, kumbanad, kumbanadil or kumbanattil) family Padinjattedathil House.After a basic Malayalam education, he started his life as a farmer.At the age of 16 he was married to Saramma of the Kuriannoor Pakalomattan Poozhikkalayil house family, a family with a paternal relation to k. V. Simon sir who was of the Pakalomattam Orethu family Kunnampurathu House.