His disciples included Pandurang Sadashiv Sane, Swami Swaroopanand, Vasudeo Sitaram Bendrey, Sethu Madhav Rao Pagadi, and Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere.

[2] Potdar was born into Deshastha Brahmin family[3] in the village of Birwadi in Raigad District of Maharashtra.

He traveled all over India, collecting historical documents pertaining especially to Maratha empire and Marathi literature.

He ran periodicals, delivered speeches, and organized lecture series, inspiring others to research historical papers.

In 1965, the Government of Maharashtra appointed Potdar to write the biography of Shivaji, but before he could finish the assignment, he died on 6 October 1979 in Pune.