Pandit Shripad Hegde, who hails from Kampli of Uttara Kannda District, is on the staff of All India Radio, Dharwad since 1987. Born in a family with the background of Yakshagana tradition, Pt. Shripad Hegde was attracted to music at a young age. He started his initial training in Hindustani music in his teen under Pt Ganapati Bhat, a noted disciple of Pt. Basavaraj Rajaguru. In the year 1982 Pt. Shripad Hedge moved to Dharwad a citadel of Hindustani music, to devote himself fully to music. He was privileged to have a mentor of the stature of late Padma Bhushana Pt. Basavaraj Rajguru, a reputed doyen of Kirana-Gwalior who taught Shripad Hegde with love and affection. It was a decade long dedicated and rigorous training under Pt.Basavaraj Rajguru that chiseled Pt Shripad Hegde into a promising vocalist.

Endowed with resonant and sonorous voice Pt Shipad Hegde has developed his own style assimilating the finer and delicate nuances of both Kirana and Gwalior Gharanas. Like his mentor he is eclectic and blends into his style the aesthetic subtleties of other schools of singing.

Though Khayal is his forte, he is equally adept in singing semiclassical varieties. His recitals are being regularly broadcast from A.I.R, Dharwad. He has already given a number of public performances in Karnataka and other states. He has also featured in the Sunday Night National Concert of A.I.R. His recitals under the auspices of Sitar Ratna Rahimat Khan Sangeet Prasaraka Samiti, Dharawad, Master Deenanath Sangeeta Samaroh, Kavale (Goa), Hubli Art Circle-Golden Jublee Conference, NCPA-Bombay and Karnataka Sangha Bombay, Sur Singara, Bijapura have won high appreciation. Aryabhata Cultural Organization of Bangalore has honored Shripad Hegde with “ARYABHATA” award for the year 2000.

He is also mentoring various students across Karnataka, who have become renowned artistes like Shakti Patil, Radha Desai, Rekha Bhat, Harish Hegde, Vishal Hegde, Raghunandan Bhat, Narasimha Joshi, Nikhita Kulkarni, Gouri Kulkarni etc.