Pillai like all prominent artists had a large circle of admirers. Among his great patrons were the Adheenams of the Saivaite Mutts of Dharmapuram, Tirupanandal, Kundrakudi and Tiruvavaduthrai. He was the Aasthana Vidwan of the Dharmapuram Mutt for 12 years.

The Paramacharya of the Kanchi Mutt, Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi had a great liking for Pillai’s music and once, while camping in Kaveripatnam, he sent for Pillai and spent many hours with him naming ragas one after another and asking him to perform them. It was on that occasion, that he was given the title “Sweetharanya Punnaga Nadhamani”. Some years earlier while entering the village of Tiruvengadu, the Archarya, who had not given up traveling in Palanquin and asked for Pillai’s house. He then blessed it with his glance. Among several meetings between Archarya and Pillai, the one that took place in the middle of the night must definitely stand out. Pillai who had extensive lands in Sembanarkoil, Senthamangalam and Tiruvengadu, was proceeding in the dead of night by car to inspect them. Given his busy schedule, that was the only time he found for those tasks. In the darkness Pillai saw a glow of lantern approaching them. He found it to be a small procession of five or six people cutting across the fields, walking from one village to another and who should be in the middle but the Paramacharya himself! Pillai stopped his car as the groups approached and fell at the Paramacharya’s feet. The Acharya recognized him and blessed him and admonished him for going around so late in the night in an area that abounded with snakes. Pillai later was to wonder whether the same did not apply to the Acharya as well, particularly as he was travelling by foot, while he, Pillai, was safely in a car.

The Zamindar of Kovilpatti was also a great patron of Subramania Pillai.

“Kalki” Krishnamurthy was a close friend and admirer. In his serial on his experiences in prison where he was incarcerated during the freedom movement, he wrote of the delight he experienced one day on coming to know that Tiruvengadu Subramania Pillai was soon to join the patriots in prison. He hoped that the musician would be allowed to bring his nadhaswaram along and help them while away the hours and also transport them to a musical nirvana. Later, Kalki was disappointed on coming to know that it was a different man with the same name who was being brought in to prison.

In 1938, when the All India Radio was inaugurated in Madras, the event witnessed a speech by C Rajagopalachari, a song by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and a nadhaswara performance by Pillai. Kalki was instrumental in arranging this.

Director K Subrahmanyam was a close friend and fan as well. K Subrahmanyam was close to nadhaswara artists in general and when they formed an association he was elected its President during the Kumbakonam Conference. K Subrahmanyam and Pillai were to wage a relentless battle in instituting a course for teaching nagawaram at the Central College of Carnatic Music, Madras. When K Subrahmanyam was to lead a delegation of artists on a cultural visit to China, Pillai’s was the first name he put down on the list. But alas, the Government cancelled the tour.

When the 1955 Avadi session of the Congress took place, K Subrahmanyam was in the forefront organizing music performances. He organized a special ensemble of 108 nadhaswarams, which Jawarharlal Nehru found very soulful. Participating in this were Tiruvengadu Subramaniapillai, TN Rajarathinam Pillai, Tiruvidaimarudur Veerasami Pillai, Kuzhikarai Pitchaiyappa Pillai and TN “Kakayi” Natarajasundaram Pillai. Pillai was also to give nadhaswara performances in some films directed by K Subrahmanyam. K Subrahmanyam would often call at Pillai’s home in Mayavaram. Prior to his departure to the Soviet Union, to which country he was leading a cultural delegation, he obtained from Pillai’s wives, enough pickles, condiments, and “podis” to last him for the duration of the trip. On coming back, he was to ruefully tell Pillai, that he tasted very little of what he had taken. The north Indian stars had hijacked the entire lot and consumed them all with relish.

Among musicians and performers, Madurai Mani Iyer, who was for some years a resident of Dubash Agraharam in Mayavaram, held a special place in Pillai’s heart. Pillai’s eldest son Selvarathinam was to learn music from Mani Iyer. Embar Vijayaragavachariar was an extremely close friend. His family respectfully referred to Pillai as “Simham” for his prowess in music and always had him to perform on auspicious occasions.

Pillai had a number of musician friends who would readily accept his invitation to perform at family functions. The musicians who performed during the wedding celebrations of Selvarathnam (Pillai’s first son) were Dandapani Desigar, DK Pattammal and TN Rajarathnam Pillai. Karukuruchi Arunachalam played the nadhaswaram for the “Penn Azhaippu” when the bride is taken in procession. It was Namagiripettai Krishnan, AKC Natarajan and ML Vasanthakumari who performed on the occasion of Sundaranathan’s marriage (Pillai’s second Son). MLV’s daughter Srividya performed Bharathanatyam as Pillai’s good friend KN Dandayuthapani Pillai wielded the cymbals.

The world of Drama and films also counted Pillai as its friend. In an interview given to “Dinamani” late in life, he was to recall his friendships with SG Kittappa with tears in his eyes. He was also very close to SV Subbiah Bhagavathar, Nawab Rajamanickam, NS Krishnan and “Avvai” TK Shanmugam who always referred to Pillai as “Annachi”. The list of friends included several of the musically aware theatre artists who later migrated to films such as “Sivaji” Ganesan, MG Ramachandran and TS Baliah. Among the prized possessions of Pillai’s family members is a photograph of MGR having lunch at Pillai’s house during a family function.