Kalelkar was born in Satara on 1 December 1885. He was native of Kaleli village near Sawantwadi in Maharashtra which gave his surname Kalelkar. He matriculated in 1903 and completed B. A. in Philosophy from Fergusson College, Pune in 1907. He appeared in the first year examination of LL.B. and joined Ganesh Vidyalaya in Belgaum in 1908. He worked for a while on the editorial staff of a nationalistic Marathi daily named Rashtramat, and then as a teacher at a school named Ganganath Vidyalaya in Baroda in 1910. Within a few years, the British government forcibly closed down the school because of its nationalistic spirit in 1912. He traveled to Himalaya on foot and later joined Acharya Kripalani in visit to Burma (Myanmar) in 1913. He met Mahatma Gandhi in 1915.[1]

Influence by Gandhi, he became member of Sabarmati Ashram. He taught at Rashtriya Shala of Sabarmati Ashram. For some time, he served as the editor of Sarwodaya periodical which was run from the premises of the Ashram. With Gandhi's encouragement, he played an active role in establishing Gujarat Vidyapith at Ahmedabad, and became its vice-chancellor in 1928. He was imprisoned several times due to his participation in Indian independence movement. He retired from Gujarat Vidyapith in 1939.[1]

In 1935, Kalelkar became member of Rashtabhasha Samiti, a committee whose objective was to popularize Hindi-Hindustani language as the national language of India. He was active with Gandhi Smarak Nidhi from 1948 to his death.[1]

He was appointed as a member of Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1964 and later appointed as a president of Backward Classes Commission in 1953. He presided Gujarati Sahitya Parishad in 1959. He established Gandhi Vidyapith, Vedchhi in 1967 and served as its vice chancellor.[1]
He died on 21 August 1981.[1]

Mahatma Gandhi called him Savai Gujarati, a quarter more than a Gujarati.[1]