Papanasam Sivan

Also: Ramaiya, Tamil Tyagaraja

○ Confidence: low (needs checking) Last verified: 12 Oct 2026

Period

1890 to 1973

Language(s)

Tamil

Biography

Born Ramaiya at Polagam in the Thanjavur district, he was called Papanasam Sivan after his visits to the Papanasam temple. He studied under Noorani Mahadeva Bhagavatar and later Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar.

Notable contributions

A prolific composer of Tamil kritis, sometimes called the Tamil Tyagaraja, whose songs were popularised by singers such as M. S. Subbulakshmi and D. K. Pattammal. He also composed for Tamil and Kannada films in the 1930s and 1940s. He received the Sangita Kalanidhi title in 1971.