Haldankar duly enrolled and studied under the tutelage of famous artists Mahadev Vishwanath Dhurandhar and Cecil Leonard Burns.

After graduating from the J.J. School of Arts, Haldankar accepted a teaching job at the same institution and served there for some years.

Haldankar's works have been exhibited in Mumbai, Madras, Simla and the Royal Society of British Artists, London.

An Italian encyclopedia (available at a library in Wai in Satara district of Maharashtra) ranks Haldankar as one of the three finest watercolorists in the world.

Perhaps his most famous painting is Glow of Hope, also known as Woman With the Lamp, [1] which is currently exhibited at Jaganmohan Palace in Mysore ( Karnataka State ).

As per Indian Wedding customs, Haldankar was married at a very young age to a woman of similar family background, in an alliance arranged by their parents.

His eldest son Gajanan, better known as G. S. Haldankar, grew to be a renowned painter, and he specialized in watercolors.

Sawlaram Haldankar made another painting with Lilavati known as the Divine Flame, also under the same concept of Glow of Hope.