Sukumaran was born in Edappal, Malappuram, India, as the eldest son of Parameshwaran Nair and Subhadramma.  He had a brother and two sisters. He had his primary education from St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Pala.  After completing his master's degree in English Literature from University College, Thiruvananthapuram with gold medal, he began a job as a college lecturer for three years at Government College Kasaragod and Scott Christian College, Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu.

1988