[1][3][4][5][6][7] Appachcha (also spelled: Appacha) was born in the village Kirundaadu, about 15  km to the south of Madikeri in Kodagu district, Karnataka.

His mother was from the Kabbachchira family in Arji village, near Virajpet, in the southern part of Kodagu district.

As a child, Appachcha was soft-spoken and kind, spending much of his time in writing and singing devotional songs.

Then he worked in the police department for some time, after which he found a position in the Omkaaresvara temple of Madikeri (Mercara) at a monthly wage of Rs 8.

After about two years Appachcha was transferred to Bhagamandala as a Parupathyagara (temple supervisor), where he met Vaidyanatha Bhatta, a Vedic scholar.

In his association, Appachcha was introduced to the study of the epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata), and other Puranas (Indian mythologies) as well as Vedas.

[10][8][9] Around 1896, Appachcha was transferred back to Madikeri, where he was made the manager of the Gaddige(the erstwhile Rajas' mausoleum).

In the period 1904–1908, Appachcha wrote his first three plays: Yayaathi Raajanda Naataka, Sree Subrahmanya Mahathmye, and Sathi Savithri, all in the Kodava language.

[11] Appacha Kavi was the first Indian playwright to adapt the mythological Yayathi story into a popular play.