Born in the then Portuguese colony of Goa, Naik, started his career as an assistant to the legendary music director S. D. Burman in films like Bahar, Sazaa, Ek Nazar (1951), Jaal (1952), Jeewan Jyoti (1953) and Angarey (1954).

Deshpande had once famously written that whenever he listened to Lata’s emotional Dhool Ka Phool title song "Too Mere Pyaar Kaa Phool Hai", he got the impression that each word, each note was rendered as if a tender flower petal was gently placed in flowing water.

In Naach Ghar, Lata’s silken rendition of N. Datta’s waltz based club song "Aye Dil Zubaan Naa Khol" subtly exposed this materialist world’s duplicity in Sahir’s sarcastic socialist lingo.

Songs from later movies like "Ponch Kar Ashk Apni Aankon Se", "Maine Pee Sharaab", "Tune Kya Piya", "Jaan Gayi Mein Toh Jaan Gayi" from Naya Raasta (1970) and "Tere Is Pyar Ka Shukriya" from Aag Aur Daag are popular as well.

The song "Nimbonichya jhaadaamaage chandra jhopala ga baai" sung by Suman Kalyanpur from Bala Gau Kashi Angai (1977) is still very popular.