ranga was deeply involved in student politics right from the earliest stages, as one of the founding members and the first president of the national students union of india (nsui). it was no less a person than prime minister indira gandhi, whose great personal favourite he was, who called him to take up this post after going through due process. by 1973, he had also been elected a member of the all india congress committee. in 1977, on obtaining a degree from kirori mal college, delhi university, he moved to madras to practice in labour law. when the congress was re-elected in 1980, rangarajan was asked by his very dear friend, soon-to-be-prime minister rajiv gandhi, to play an active role in politics. he contested and won the 1984 elections from salem lok sabha constituency.