Vanchinathan was born in 1886 in a poor Hindu family in Sengottai, Travancore, British India (presently in Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu).

[3] He started his career as a temple accountant before he landed a government job in the Travancore forest department.

[8] After the Tinnevely riot of 1908, Brahmachari recruited youth to join his organization called "Bharatha Matha Sangam" and worked upon various methods as a protest to the British rule.

[10] In response to his actions, the revolutionary factions decided to assassinate him, and Vanchinathan, who was 25 years old, was chosen for the task.

[1] On 17 June 1911, Ashe and his wife traveled from Tirunelveli to Maniyachchi via train to catch the Boat Mail Express from Ceylon to Madras.

Unknown to them, Vanchinathan and fellow activist Madasamy had boarded the train at Tirunelveli, which started at 9:30.

[11] Vanchinathan took a pistol hidden in his coat and shot Ashe at point blank range twice to assassinate him.

[15][11][5] The assassination of Ashe was one of the significant events in the Indian independence movement in South India.