Born on December 5, 1918, Narayan, popularly known as CAN, started his professional life under C Rajagopalachari. He joined The Indian Express Group of Newspapers at Madras in 1940. Posted to Mumbai as the advertisement manager and public relations officer in 1954, he went on to become the director of advertising and PR for the Indian Express group. He joined the board of directors of Indian Express Madurai and remained an advisor to the group.

During his lifetime, Narayanan served the advertising and publishing fraternity in many ways, and has held every possible position of honour in the field.

He was the chairman of the Bombay Regional Committee of the Indian Newspapers Society (INS) for many years, and was president of the Indian Newspapers Society in 1970.

He was also the chairman of the first major international advertising conference in India, theseventh Asians Advertising Congress, held in New Delhi in 1970.

He had served on the managing committee of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) for many years, and was its chairman.

He has been connected with several cultural and charitable organisations including the Bharathi Kala Manram. He has formed his own charitable trust, the Narayan Charitable Trust, devoted to philantrophy.

A prayer meeting to condole his demise will be held on November 11, 1998, at the Express Lawns, Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 at 5.30 pm.