Ratnakar Pai studied Hindustani vocal music of Jaipur Atrauli tradition under guidence of Mohanrao Palekar and later with Gulubhai Jasdanwala. Having a high pitch, rich voice, his singing was full of mesmarizing Taan-s. He had a vast reportoire of rare Ragas & Bandishes and so, was considered to be one of the doyens of his Gharana. He trained many especially for rare Ragas and his disciples include Bhalachandra Tilak, Milind Malshe, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Aditya Khandwe & others.