Bhagavatha Shiromani P A Somanarayana Bhagavathar, aged 65 years, was initiated into the field of Sampradaya Namasankeerthanam at the age of 11 by none other than Poojyashri Pudukkotai Gopalakrishna Bhagavathaswamy himself. He trained for over 12 years after which he accompanied Bhagavathaswamy on various tours and bhajans. He has had the honour of even performing a Radha Madhava Kalyanam in his presence.

He has performed extensively throughout South India and has been involved in Naamaprachaara for over 30 years with his bhajan group covering the most interior parts of South India and evoking, in the people from these regions, a deep sense of Bhakthi and an interest in the Namasankeerthana maarga. He is an expert in the bhajana sampradaya of performing Sri Radha Madhava Kalyanam, Sri Seetha Raghava Kalyanam, Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwara Kalyanam and Sri Padmavathi Vekateshwara Swamy Kalyanam.

He has also had the rare honour of performing Sampradaaya Naamasankeerthanam in the presence of HH Sri Mahasannidhanam of Sringeri and participating in the Samrajya Pattabhishekam with his group in the presence of Brahmasri Krishna Premi Anna. He was bestowed with the Unchavrithi Suthram by the Bodhendral Mutt in 1995 and was given the Naama japa upadesham by Sathguru Sri Kalyanarama Swamigal of Maruthanallur.

He has been honoured with several titles such as “Bhagavatha Shiromani” by H H Sri Haridoss Giri Swamigal, “Bhagavatha Thilakam” at the Bhagavatha Sammelan conducted by Sengalipuram Sri Jayakrishna Deekshithar, “Bhagavatha Samrat” in memory of Ashtapadi bhooshanam Sri Ramakrishna Bhagavathar, “Namasankeerthana Kalarathna” by Sathsangam, Madurai and also by the Bhagavatha Seva Trust, Chennai.

Professionaly, Sri Bhagavathar is an M.A, M.Sc, M.Ed and began as a teacher with the Sethupathy Higher Secondary School, Madurai in 1967 and retired as the Assistant Headmaster of the School in 2007.