[citation needed] Phadke acquired his primary tutelage in vocal classical music from the late Vamanrao Padhye in Kolhapur.
The first of Geet Ramayan by Sudhir Phadke was broadcast by All India Radio Pune on Friday 1 April 1955 on the day of Raam Navami (celebration of the birth of Lord Ram).
Geet Ramayan has been translated in 9 Indian languages Assamese, Bengali, English, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Sindhi, Telugu and Oriya.
[citation needed] Other major creations of Phadke include: Ashi pakhare yeti, Dev devharyat nahi, Daav mandun mandun modu nako, Vikat ghetla shyam, Tujhe geet ganyasathi sur labhu de, Toch chandrama nabhaat.
Phadke won numerous awards, including: He died in Mumbai on 29 July 2002 at 10.30 AM after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke is a film based on his life starring Sunil Barve and Mrunmayee Deshpande.