He was born in Sarsa, near
Anand, in
Bombay Presidency,
British India on 9 January 1915. He participated in the
Swadeshi Movement launched by
Mahatma Gandhi and was jailed in his early teens for picketing outside liquor shops. He went to the UK for higher studies in the early 1930s. In 1939, he qualified as a barrister from
London In London, he came in contact with
Jawaharlal Nehru who encouraged Rajni to travel to the US and other places to gather support for the
Indian independence movement. When Rajni returned to Mumbai by ship, Nehru stood at the
Gateway of India to receive him. However, the British authorities did not permit him to disembark and instead arrested him on the ship and took him to
Nashik jail.
Bollywood actress
Ameesha Patel is his granddaughter. He died on 3 May 1982. ==Recognition==