Swami Sivananda who was then camping at Trichy, was invited to honour Chembai and bestow the title of Sangeeta Samrat (Emperor of Music) on him.
[1] Chembai visited Mysore at the invitation of Krishnarajendra Wodeyar, its then Maharaja, and gave a command performance there.
[3] The recognition most coveted by Carnatic musicians is the invitation to preside over the annual conference of the Music Academy of Madras.
I have no doubt that the art and practice of Carnatic music will flourish and grow with good cooperation between vidwans and rasikas.
[5] Chembai received the 'Sangeet Natak Akademi Award' in 1958, from the President of India Dr. S.Radhakrishnan, at Delhi before an invited audience of eminent Hindustani and Carnatic musicians and rasikas.
[citation needed] The Padma Bhushan is a national award bestowed by the President of India on select musicians and other eminent people.