Thyagaraja visited Kancheepuram at the request of the sage Upanishad Brahmam. One day he was performing Bhajana at Upanishad Brahmendra Mutt. A Kanjira artiste by name Radhakrishnayya was sitting there with his Kanjira and enjoying the music. He got tempted to play on Kanjira, but was hesitating, not to disturb the smooth sail of that divine Bhajana. Also it so happened that this artiste was not formally introduced to Thyagaraja prior to beginning of the bhajana. Hence he was hesitating all the more to play on Kanjira. At one point of time he could not contain his enthusiasm and started softly playing Kanjira along-side the music that was going on. Thyagaraja turned around and appreciatively approved of his playing Kanjira. After bhajana got concluded, Thyagaraja enquired the whereabouts of Radhakrishnayya and acceded to the request of Radhakrishnayya to join him as a disciple. 

Later on Radhakrishnayya was honored as Asthaana Vidwan of Mysore Maharaja.