His conformity and respect for the traditional approach to carnatic vocal music is often reflected by the orthodox nature of his concert attire (the panchagacham and namam).

Santhanagopalan has been acknowledged for his emphasis on purity of nada and tone, and his restrained and measured grasp of kritis is regarded well with the Carnatic musical fraternity.

Being a thinking man's musician, his cerebral, methodical approach to raga delineation reflects his own growth in music.

He has also received awards and felicitations from Bharat Kalachar, Kartik Fine Arts and the Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Foundation.

In addition, Santhanagopalan also regularly contributes to philanthropic causes as was evidenced by his collection from US Benefit concerts as part of the 2005 Tsunami Relief.