In 1968, when Suresh Wadkar was 13, Jialal Vasant encouraged him to work towards the "Prabhakar" certificate offered by the Prayag Sangit Samiti, because it was equivalent to a BEd and qualifies the awardee to teach professionally. Wadkar successfully completed his "Prabhakar" and joined Arya Vidya Mandir in Mumbai as a music teacher. He has a music school in Mumbai, India and New Jersey/New York City where methodical training is given to students. He has also started an online music school, called SWAMA, under Ace Open University.
Singing career
Though groomed for Indian classical music, he entered the Sur-Singar competition in 1976. Wadkar won the competition which was judged by composers from the Indian film industry including Jaidev. Jaidev later offered him the song "Seene Mein Jalan" in the film Gaman. He also performed in the film Paheli. At the time, Lata Mangeshkar was so impressed with his voice that she strongly recommended him to film personalities including Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Khayyam and Kalyanji-Anandji. Laxmikant-Pyarelal, impressed with his voice, soon recorded a duet with Lata "Chal Chameli Bagh Mein" for Krodhi. Soon after, he was given the opportunity to perform for songs in Hum Paanch, Pyaasa Sawan and above all, his turning point in films – Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog.after that Wadkar sang many songs under the R.K. Banner and he often gave his voice for Rishi Kapoor for Heena, Prem granth, and Rajeev Kapoor for Ram teri Ganga Maili he used to sing specially for Rishi Kapoor in numerous films: Bol Radha Bol, Vijay and others. Wadkar also produced the film Tanman.com. He was a judge on the Indian TV singing show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs International and at the 2005 Sanjeet Awards. Suresh Wadkar has for the first time sung a song in the upcoming Tamil film Kanden Kadhalai. This film is an adaptation of the Hindi Blockbuster Jab We Met. The song is a ghazal type song called "Naan Mozhi Arindhaen". He has sung numerous devotional songs in various Indian languages. In 1996, Wadkar sang Channeache Rati among several other songs in Rajendra Talak's Konkani album Daryachya Deger with Asha Bhosle.
In 1976, Wadkar won the Madan Mohan Best Male Singer Award at the Sur-Singar competition. He is also a recipient of the 2004 Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar instituted by Madhya Pradesh government. He also won the 2007 Maharashtra Pride Award which is given by the government of Maharashtra to citizens of note. In 2011, he won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the song "Hey Bhaskara Kshitijavari Ya" from the Marathi film Mee Sindhutai Sapkal. He got awarded by Late Sadashiv Amarapurkar Award 2017 by Ahmednagar's Think Global Foundation. He, along with KK, holds the record for most number of Filmfare Nominations for Best Singer without winning even one. On January 25, 2020 his name was announced for Government of India's fourth highest civilian honour, esteemed Padma Shri award, for his work in the field of arts.
Collaborators
Suresh Wadkar has sung for a variety of composers in the Indian film industry. These include:
