S. Rajendra Babu was born in Bangalore, on 1 June 1939. He pursued his LLB from Raja Lakhamagouda Law College, Belgaum Karnataka University.
Babu was appointed permanent Judge of the Karnataka High Court in February 1988. He was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India on 25 September 1997. On 2 May 2004, as the senior-most Puisne judge of the supreme court, he succeeded Justice V. N. Khare as Chief Justice of India. His tenure lasted less than a month, as he retired on 1 June 2004, upon his 65th birthday.
During his tenure in the Supreme Court, Babu delivered several landmark judgments in civil law, criminal law, constitutional law, environmental law, taxation, corporate law and intellectual property matters. Babu analysed the mob psychology in the case relating to anti-Sikh riots, following the assassination of Indira Gandhi. He also interpreted the provisions of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986.
Babu assumed the office of Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission on 2 April 2007 and held tenure until 31 May 2009. He is the fifth Chairperson of the Commission.