 Corera was born in London; his father was from the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India and his mother is German.The family has a home near Cavelossim, in the state of Goa in western India, which he says he has a deep affection for, and visits regularly.Corera was educated at University College School, an independent school for boys in Hampstead in northwest London, followed by St Peter's College at the University of Oxford, where he studied Modern History, followed by graduate studies in US foreign policy at Harvard University.