Chittani Ramachandra Hegde (1 January 1933 – 3 October 2017) was a Yakshagana artist from Honnavara, Uttara Kannada, Karnataka.

The ever lasting concrete experience on stage has enabled him to master even the most vigorous and tough character of the art, he added.

Wearing anklets on his feet and having dedicated more than six decades of his life to Yakshagana, Chittani was an artist of very high calibre.

Chittani, influenced by this environment since childhood, gave up his studies after class two and ever since has devoted all his time towards learning and perfecting the art of Yakshagana.

Bhasmasura-Mohini's Bhasmasura, Gadhayudda's Kaurava, Sudhanvarjuna's Arjuna as well as Sudhanva, Keechaka, Jarasandha, Karthaveeryarjuna, Dushtabuddhi, Maghagada, kamsa, kaladara, Rudrakopa among others, are characters which he mastered.

Uday Kumar, who was known for his negative roles, would attend 'all-night' Yakshagana performances at the Town Hall in Bengaluru to study Chittani's expressions.

[8] Mantapa Prabhakara Upadhya, Yakshagana artiste, described Chittani as a man who had taught him humility and the need to respect even the person who bought the cheapest ticket for a show.

Chittani's greatest plus points were his dancing and acting abilities, it was his presentation of anger, shringara or fear, that brought him to the forefront.

[10] Chittani Ramachandra Hegde fell ill with pneumonia on 29 September 2017, and died on 3 October 2017 at Manipal Hospital.

Week long Yakshagana performances in his name, styled "Chittani Yaksha Sambhrama" are conducted by his admirers at Mangalore every year.