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.
Subramaniya Iyer learned music from his uncle, Melattur Ganapati Sastri, and later under Manambuchavadi Venkatasubbayyar who was a disciple of Tyagaraja himself.
Many of his students such as Mysore Vasudevachar, Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar, Bhairavi Kempegowda and Tiger Varadachariar became famous composers and vocalists.
The reigning Maharaja of Mysore, Chamarajendra Wodeyar X, gave him a pair of golden bracelets on two occasions, after singing performances in court.