Sadhuram Swamigal was born to Srimati Dharmambal and S. Venkataswami Aiyar at Nadakudi village, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu and was named Sethuraman. He was a student of St. Gabriel High School in Madras (now Chennai) until 1952 CE. After completing his education, he worked in the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
As was predicted by Sri Sachidananda Swamigal on January 20, 1952, Sethuraman was taken by an old sage to an old sage’s home in Georgetown in Madras. The sage gave him a bag containing a scroll and disappeared.
On opening the scroll, the entire household saw that Murugan’s 108 descriptive names were given in it. These names were to be sung in rhythm by the women congregations. This is called kummi in Tamil Nadu. Sethuraman, his parents, brothers and sisters gathered immediately to perform kummi with great devotion.
This was the turning point in Seturaman’s life. He began to sing about Murugan. The hymns in Tamil flowed spontaneously. More than fifteen thousand hymns have been recorded. Sethuraman was now the Arutkavi (inspired poet). He visited several shrines and great seats of grace and poured out song after song on the presiding deities, but mainly on Murugan. These hymns have been collected by S. V. Subramanian, Seturraman’s brother.
On February 15, 1969, on the day of Shivratri, when he was about 32 years old, Arutkavi Sethuraman started practicing the life of a recluse in the precincts of Sri Vaishnavi temple, in Ambapuri, north Thirumullaivoyal in Madras. Then he was given the name of Sadhuram Swamigal.
He has founded several institutions to spread Vedanta and Hindu religion in general and Tiruppuhal of Arunagirinathar in particular. His own hymns are praised as arutpuhal. His permanent abode is Sri Pongi Madalayam, Chennai. His arutpas are sung by thousands of devotees.