Chengalpattu Ranganathan, was born Sriman Chellappa Iyengar and Srimathi Rajalakshmi. His mother used to be a student of Harihara Iyer, a disciple of the Carnatic music great, Tiger Varadachariar. Ranganathan used to regularly accompany his mother to her music lessons. He then became a disciple of Flute Vidwan H.Ramachandra Shastri. It was Shastri who felt that he had the potential to train under the stalwart, Alathur Venkatesa Iyer. He thus entered the tutelage of Venkatesa Iyer of the Manambuchavadi lineage of Thyagaraja shishya parampara. He proceeded to undergo rigorous training with Alathur Brothers, Alathur Sivasubramania Iyer and Alathur Srinivasa Iyer under Gurukula System for ten years. His Arangetram was held in the Nerur Sadasiva Bramendral Utsavam in the year 1955. Vidwan Ramanathapuram M.N.Kandaswamy accompanied him on the Mridangam while his guru Alathur Venkatesa Iyer himself accompanied him on the harmonium on the occasion.