Nagai Sriram commenced his career as a violinist at the age of 12 when he played for Neyveli Santhanagopalan in New Delhi.
Santhanagopalan is a recipient of the Vani Kala Sudhakara of the Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, and has also received awards and felicitations from Bharat Kalachar, Kartik Fine Arts, Tyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, and the Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Foundation.