Born on 27 January 1934 in Kilakarai, South India, to Aboothahir Esah, a businessman, Kithur Esah was educated at the American College, Madurai, and the Stanley Medical College in Madras. He came to England in 1959 and did a number of junior jobs at Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, Queen Mary's Hospital for the East End, Stratford, and East Ham Memorial Hospital before passing the FRCS. He then specialised in orthopaedics and did registrar jobs at East Ham Memorial and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, St Mary's Hospital and the Royal Berkshire Hospital. He was appointed consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Hillingdon and Mount Vernon Hospitals in February 1973. He married Elaine in 1963 and they had three children. He died on 13 January 1996.