Narayanaswamy's major break came at a Madras Music Academy concert in 1951, when he was unexpectedly forced to substitute for his guru, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar who was not in a position to attend the conference under unforeseen circumstances.
In 1951, Narayanaswamy achieved recognition at a Madras Music Academy performance. He filled in for his mentor, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, who was unable to attend the event because of unexpected problems.