Born in 1922, R Yagnaraman graduated from Loyola College, Chennai and went on to secure a degree in Law from the Madras Law College. While practicing in the bar for 15 years, he found himself drawn to the arts - cultural, social, and religious.

From 1954, he became closely associated with Krishna Gana Sabha as a member of the Managing Committee and as Joint Secretary until he was elected as General Secretary in 1956 and continued to serve till April 2007 for a duration of 50 years steadily.

During his stewardship from 1956, three major festivals of Music, Dance and Drama were organized each year in addition to instituting awards - Sangeetha Choodamani, Nritya Choodamani and Nataka Choodamani - for each field of arts carrying a cash award and a gold medallion.

Yagnaraman was also key in pioneering and instituting the annual dance conference, the Natya Kala Conference. The Conference was launched in December 1980, and began as a ten-day festival that brought under its umbrella, a slew of classical dance forms, enabling for artistes and audiences to immerse themselves in dance and the many worlds it inhabits.

Yagnaraman also served in the Executive Committee of the Tamilnadu Iyal Isai Nataka Manram, the cultural wing of the Government of Tamilnadu, for five years and as Vice- Chairman for five years. He was also elected as President of the Federation of City Sabhas between 1975 and 1982.

Under his leadership, with contributions - of his own - and from members of the Committee, Krishna Gana Sabha was renovated in 2003 and was transformed into a haven of sorts. With a stunning ambience that combines Tanjore and Chetttinad style architecture, his role in making this space, a sanctum sanctorum of the arts, is unarguable.

For his contributions, he was recognised with a host of prestigious awards that include the Kalaimamani award from the Government of Tamilnadu, Nada Seva Ratna, Bharatha Seva Ratna, Kala Poshaka, Sangeetha Prachara Mani, Tirupugazh Maamani, and Sangeetha Seva Niratha, Kalai Selvam, amongst others.