She recorded songs for movies in several languages besides Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Angika, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Odia and Punjabi.

Suman Kalyanpur's father Shankar Rao Hemmadi hailed from a Saraswat Brahmin family belonging to Mangalore.

Simultaneously, she started learning classical vocal from Pune's Prabhat Films' music director and a close family friend, Pandit Keshav Rao Bhole.

[citation needed] According to Suman, "Everybody at home had an inclination towards arts and music but public performances were strictly prohibited.

However, due to some unknown reasons, later O. P. Nayyar replaced Mohammed Shafi and only one of my three songs, a lullaby "Koi Pukare Dheere Se Tujhe" was retained in the film.

A rank newcomer, her career hit the big league when Talat agreed to sing the duet with her, making the film industry sit up and take notice of her.

She sang for composers Shankar Jaikishan, Roshan,Madan Mohan Kohli, S. D. Burman, N Datta, Hemant Kumar, Chitragupta, Naushad, S. N. Tripathi, Ghulam Mohammed, Kalyanji Anandji, Vasant Desai and Laxmikant–Pyarelal singing the most songs for the first two in the list.

Suman's first song in Marathi was the super-hit "Bhaatuklichaa Khel Maandila" for Vasant Prabhu, for the film Pasant Aahe Mulgi.

Some of her memorable duets with Rafi are "Aajkal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche", "Na Na Karte Pyaar", "Tumse O Hasina", "Rahen Na Rahen Hum", "Parbaton Ke Pedon Par Shaam Ka Basera He", "Ajahuna Aye Balama", "Tumane Pukara Aur Hum Chale Aye", "Bad Muddat Ke Yeh Ghadi Ayee", "Mujhe Yeh Bhool Na", "Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya", "Tujhko Dilbari Ki Kasam" and "Chand Takata Hai Idhar".

With Manna Dey, she sang the popular duet "Na Jane Kahan Ham The" under the music direction of Dattaram.

With Mukesh she has sung many popular duets like `Yeh Kisne Geet Chheda', "Akhiyon ka noor hai tu", "Mera Pyar Bhi Tu Hai", "Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya", "Shama Se Koi Kehde", etc.

Kalyanpur also recorded some memorable songs with a classical base, including "Manamohan Man Mein Ho Tumhi", "Mere Sang Ga Gunguna" and "Gir Gayi Re More Mathe Ki Bindiya".