Chelvanayakam was born on 31 March 1898 in Ipoh, Malaya [REF].[REF]
Chelvanayakam married Emily Grace Barr-Kumarakulasinghe (Rathinam), daughter of Maniagar R. R. Barr-Kumarakulasinghe from Tellippalai, in 1927 [REF].