It was at an early age that Pandit Dinkar Kaikini, veteran vocalist grew aware of the depths of Hindustani music and expressed a desire to be initiated into its beauty and subtlety. His thirst for music resulted in training under a series of music masters. Pt. Karekatte Nagesh Rao, a veteran exponent of the Patiala Gharana was his first true guru. Thereafter, he trained under Pt. Omkarnath Thakur of the Gwalior Gharana. Pt. Rajabhaiyya Poonchwale, another stalwart of the Gwalior Gharana also made a deep and lasting impact on the young boy. But it was his training under Padmabhushan Pt. S.N. Ratanjankar, disciple of Pt. Bhatkhande, foremost authority on the theoretical aspects of North Indian Music and Ustad Faiyaz Khan, the greatest exponent of the Agra gharana, that helped Pt. Kaikini realize the magnitude of North India's traditional Raga Sangeet. While in Morris College, Lucknow where he trained under Pt Ratanjankar, he developed a keen sense of aesthetics as well as a passion for teaching and imparting knowledge besides performing extensively. As a grand finale to this, he received the prestigious Bhatkhande Gold Medal for Khayal singing in 1943, following his performance in the final B.Mus. (Bachelor of Music) examination.

Panditji began his performance career in 1946 and in 1948 was associated with Pt. Ravi Shankar in directing music for the ballet production "Discovery of India" , lending his voice for the main roles as well. His association with music continued with his work at All India Radio spanning seventeen years, first as a composer, then as producer which proved a platform of expression for his unconventional and experimental attitude towards music. From here, he donned the role of the Principal of the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan's Music Department, Mumbai in 1971, systematically training innumerable students to understand, appreciate and perform Hindustani Raga Sangeet. Retired in 1987, he devoted rest of his life entirely to performing, composing and teaching a few selected students. His love for teaching resulted in being involved in an ambitious pedagogical project, to explain and demonstrate Hindustani music to children and adults as well as lay and qualified audiences everywhere, in India and all over the world.

As though this was not enough, an extension to Pt Kaikini's music is his popularity as an outstanding composer, having created several compositions in music under the nom de plume "Dinarang". He has to his credit numerous self composed Ragas. Later, he was also appointed to compose the soundtrack for an American film called "Ahimsa."

He passed away on 23rd Jan 2010.