Ghanam Krishna Iyar was a composer of Carnatic music

Carnatic music

Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...

 and was famous for his padams. Padams are expressive songs of three of more stanzas, used generally as an accompaniment to classical dance. Krishna Iyar was a student of the famous composer, Pacchimiriam Adiyappa

Pacchimiriam Adiyappa

Pacchimiriam Adiyappa was a famous court musician at the Maratha kingdom of Thanjavur in the 18th century. He was a composer of Carnatic music. Some of his famous disciples were Syama Sastri, one of the Trinity of Carnatic composers, and Ghanam Krishna Iyer...

. He was also influenced by Tyagaraja

Tyagaraja

Kakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...

 and Gopalakrishna Bharathi

Gopalakrishna Bharathi

Gopalakrishna Bharati was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He wrote a katAkALatcEpam , NantanAr Carittiram , two other works in this genre, and many independent kritis....

. The title Ghanam, which associated with music means 'deep' or 'grand', relates to his style of singing.

He met Tyagaraja

Tyagaraja

Kakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...

 and composed and sang Summa Summa Varuguma Sugam in raga

Raga

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

Atana. Hi mudras included Muttukumaara and Velar.