 He has left behind almost one hundred compositions.Subramaniya Iyer was born in Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district of present-day Tamil Nadu.His family had a long history of musical involvement - his father Bharatam Vaidyanatha Iyer was adept at both music and Sastra and his grandfather Panchanada Sastri was the court musician in the court of Serfoji Maharaja of Thanjavur.