Mukherjee was born in the village of Mirati in Birbhum District of West Bengal. Mukherjee’s father, Kamada Kinkar Mukherjee, was deeply involved in India’s struggle for independence from Great Britain in the first half of the 20th century. Pranab was educated at the Suri Vidyasagar College (then affiliated with the University of Calcutta), and he later earned an advanced degree in history and political science as well as a law degree from the university. He was married to Suvra Mukherjee from 1957 until her death in 18 August 2015(aged 74).