Saroj Nalini Arambam was born in Imphal, Manipur, in 1933. She was the first Meetei woman to graduate and gain her Masters degree at Calcutta University. She moved to Britain in the late 1950s studying for a Bachelor of Divinity degree at the University of London. She graduated in 1961 and shortly after married John Parratt. She worked at the University of Ile-Ife, Nigeria, before undertaking a PhD on the Religion of Manipur, in the Department of Asian Studies, Australia National University, for which she undertook considerable field research. From 1975-1990 she taught in institutions in southern Africa while still continuing to undertake fieldwork on Manipur. With her husband, she co-authored books on Manipur and, also produced two volumes of the Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur, published by the Royal Asiatic society, the second volume being published posthumously.

John Parratt was born in England and obtained his doctorate from the University of London. He taught in Southern Africa as well as Australia, India, Papua New Guinea and Britain. He was previously Professor of Third World Theologies at the University of Birmingham and is author of many books, some jointly with his wife.