Kerkar was awarded the 1953 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama, as the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists . This was followed by the decoration of Padma Bhushan by the government of India in 1969, and in the same year the government of the Indian state of Maharashtra conferred upon her the title of "Rajya Gayika." Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) is said to have been very fond of Kerkar's singing. Her honorific title "Surashri" (or "Surshri") literally means "excellent voice" (sur meaning "voice" and shri meaning "excellent), and was bestowed on her in 1948 by the Sangeet Pravin Sangitanuragi Sajjan Saman Samiti of Calcutta. She retired from public singing in 1963-64.

Artists: Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar (Vocal),

Tracks:
1. Raga Kedar (46.18) - Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar
2. Raga Nayaki Kanada (14.33) - Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar
3. Raga Bhairavi: शिव के मन शरण (Shiv Ke Mann Sharan) (11.5) - Surashree Kesarbai Kerkar