Arul George is the only son of Mr. Marappa Gounder, who was an ex-service man stationed at Lucknow. Mr. Gounder commissioned into the army at the commencement of WWII and retired from the service in 1967 with a remuneration of Rs.298/-.

Arul was born on 18.10.1969, in a small village of Naganallure in Trichy district of Tamil Nadu. His selfish mother left him at his age four, refusing to share their poverty. Arul’s retired father sold their humble house for a meager sum of Rs.800/- and left him in the care of St. Theresa’s Convent, at Kottapplayam, under the guardianship of Sr. Mary Balandina. His father fell prey to the viciousness of their house owner and was forced into begging. Arul himself used to beg at Trichy railway station during his summer holidays at the age of 9 and 10.