[1] His father was Setlur Singiengar, who provided "highly approved services" to the British administration in various parts of the Madras Presidency before joining the Mysore government as the Marhamat (or Maramuth) Bakshi (Chief Engineer) of the state.

Setlur took an active interest in Tilak's defense,[17] and later published a complete report of the trial with a lengthy introduction that included some of his personal observations.

[18]: vi A London newspaper, the St. James's Gazette, was critical of Setlur's report, calling it "mischief which is allowed to run riot under the name of freedom of the Press."

The Gazette added that "while purporting to be a 'report' of the trial, it is mainly a glorification of Tilak, and holds up the judgment of the court which tried him to native ridicule and contempt.

"[21] The Pioneer of Allahabad was also critical of Setlur, finding that he had committed "a great many popular errors" and concluding that the trial result was the product of "independent mature deliberation" about which "no one has any right to complain.

The treatise includes a nearly 30-page introduction by Setlur followed by English translations and analysis of all important texts recognized as authorities in different schools of Hindu law.

[26] A review in the Madras Weekly Notes observed that this was the first volume to present most of the seventeen included texts in accurate English translations, and that it would enable lawyers to compare what different writers had to say on a given point.

"[32] Upon taking his seat on 24 July 1908, Setlur expressed appreciation to the Mysore Bar, observing that "[m]ost of your members have been well known to me from my boyhood, and I am glad I have come back to my people...."[33] While the appointment was temporary to relieve a justice who had gone on leave,[34] he was reappointed for one year in November as the fourth judge.

[5][36][37][38] Setlur would later visit London in 1915, leaving for his return journey to Bombay on 13 November on the P&O ship RMS Arabia.

[41] In February 1916, he attended Mahatma Gandhi's first public speech in India, on the occasion of laying the foundation stone for the Banares Hindu University.

In a letter to The Hindu, Setlur said that while Gandhi was not encouraging anarchists, he was instead "playing the role of an apologist for the Civilian Bureaucrat."

[44][45]: 102  In February 1922, he and other Congress leaders were served with notices under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code relating to unlawful assembly.

[49] Setlur resided in the Siddikatte area of Bangalore (present day Gundopanth Street)[5] while continuing to own land elsewhere.