He was born at Lahore in 1889. His father, Jamiat Rai Seth, was in Government service. Sant Ram received his early education in Government High School, Kasur.From 1914 onwards Sant Ram was in the thick of the fight for India's freedom. In 1916 he organized a branch of B.G. Tilak's Home Rule League in Amritsar and also set up in the same year a Congress Committee for the city. In the agitation against Rowlatt Bills he was most active and in the company of Dr. Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal conducted a hurricane propaganda campaign through the Punjab towns and cities inciting the people to rise against the Bills and to strengthen the agitation. When in 1919 the Indian National Congress held its annual session at Amritsar, he was member of the Reception Committee organized to host the session. Soon after he was elected Secretary of the Amritsar City Congress Committee, and in that capacity he actively participated in the non-cooperation movement. On account of that he was arrested and sentenced to three years imprisonment.Later, Sant Ram was one of the chief figures in the anti-Simon Commission demonstrations organized in the Punjab. He was General Secretary of the first War Council organized in 1930 at Amritsar with Dr. Kitchlew as its dictator. In 1931 he was arrested and sentenced to a two years term for taking part in the Civil Disobedience movement.During the disturbances of 1947 Sant Ram saved hundreds of Muslims in distress and supplied them with rations even at great risk to his own life. He helped Miss. Mridula Sarabhai in the recovery of abducted women. He also rendered great help in organizing refugee camps in Amritsar on that occasion. Earlier, he had worked for sufferers of Bihar and Quetta earthquakes.