Hegde was born at Siddapura in Uttara Kannada district into a Havyaka Brahmin family, the son of Mahabaleshwar Hegde by his wife Saraswati Amma Hegde, who hailed from Sirimane village near Sringeri.
Hegde was born on 29 August 1926 at Siddapura in Uttara Kannada district into a Havyaka Brahmin family. His parents were Mahabaleshwar Hegde and Saraswati Hegde, who hailed from Sirimane village near Sringeri.