Born on 11th September, 1889, in one of the biggest land owning families of tamilnadu, Dr. Subbarayan was one of the few leaders of national status from Salem District. His father, Paramsiva Gounder, having died in an accident,when he was only 8 years old, he was put under the care of the Court of Wards. Young Subbarayan inculcated patriotic feelings through Mr. Camben Morrison, his school teacher. Later, he studied in Hindu Hig School and Presidency Colege of Madras. It was while he was in colege that he met Radhabai, a Mangalorean from Brahmo Society, who he married according to Brahmo rites qith the blessings of Rajaji.

Rajaji's philosophy and political thinkig guided Dr. Subbarayan throughout his life. Dr. Subbarayan qualifies as a barrister and obtained a Doctorate in Law from Dublin. In 1921 he became a Council Secretary to the Minister for Development in Tamil Nadu. He served as MLC from Tiruchengode for 15 years from 1922 to 1036. He joined the Congress movement in 1933. Dr. Subbarayan's initial intimacy with the Justice Party enabled him to be the Premier of the Madras Presidency from 1926 to 1931. Dr. Subbarayan was an admirer of British liberal political thought and also a staunch follower of Gandhiji and Rajaji. He served as Education and Law Minister in Madras Presidency and was a Minister in Rajaji's cabinet in 1937.

He was imprisoned alongwith his wife in 1940 for participating in the Congress movement. Later, from 1947 to 1949, he was a Minister and the leader of the House in O.P. Ramaswami Reddiar's Ministry. He was Home Minister and Minister for Ploce in the same Ministry. In these capacities he introduced reforms including the Zamindari Abolition Act. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly. In 1949 he was sent as Ambassador to Indonesia. On his return in 1954, he became a Rajya Sabha Member and was elected as a Member of the Privileges Committee. In 1957, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tiruchengode constituency and in 1959 he became the Union Minister for Communications and Transport in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet. As a Union Minister he had taken many progressive steps.

He won the 1962 election fron Tiruchengode again. He was appointed as Governor of Maharashtra in 1962, but he served in this capacity only for a few months, as he died in 1962. He had interests in many fields in life. He was a keen cricket player. He was the founder President of the Cricket Control Board.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India