Unnikrishnan was born in a Tamil family who were originally hailed from Tamil Nadu to K. Radhakrishnan and Dr. Harini Radhakrishnan in Palakkad, Kerala. The family home, Kesari Kuteeram, was a well-known landmark of Madras city, with great grandfather Dr. K. N. Kesari being an eminent Ayurvedic physician and the promoter of the popular Telugu women's magazine Gruhalakshmi .
He went to Asan Memorial Senior Secondary School, Chennai and later transferred to Santhome Higher Secondary School ,Chennai and completed his schooling in 1984.He graduated from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Chennai, and received his B.Com degree from the Madras University. He earned a General Law and Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations.
