As a distinguished disciple of the legendary Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, the founder of Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal,[2] he dedicated his life to the promotion of Hindustani music.
Vinayakrao accepted teaching assignments at the various branches of the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, including those in Bombay, Nagpur and Lahore.
On one occasion, the Gwalior veteran Ramkrishna Buwa Vazhe offered a challenge to singers in Pune.
Heeding his teacher's admonition about singing for films, Vinayak went to Pune and established his own branch of the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya.
Vinayakrao Patwardhan's singing reflected the simple and straightforward approach to ragas, which is the characteristic of the Gwalior Gharana style.