 Ramaswami Iyer was born in Trichur to L. R. Vishwanatha Iyer, a retired Inspector of schools with the Department of Public Instruction, Madras Presidency.Ramaswami Iyer had his early schooling in Trichur and completed his intermediate from the Maharajah's College, Ernakulam in first class.Iyer graduated in geology from the Presidency College, Madras in 1914 and in law from the Madras Law College in 1916.