Koteeswara Iyer (1869 - 1938), was a pioneer composer of Indian classical music Carnatic music. He was a grandson of Kavi Kunjara Bharati(1810–1896) attributing to a strong lineage of accomplished musicians. He was born in Nandhanur to Nagarathinam iyer who was a Sivagangai Samasthana Sangeetha Vidwan. His ancestors lived initiallyin Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) and later in Raja Hiranya Garba Thirumalai Sethupathi's village in Perungarai (Ramanathapuram). Koteeswara Iyer studied music under Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar (1860–1919) and Patnam Subramania Iyer (1845–1902). He composed mainly in the Tamil language and used the mudra Kavi Kunjara Dasan in tribute to his grandfather.While studying his BA in English Literature in Trichy, Koteeswara Iyer started performing in small Kutcheries singing Kav