Hegde completed his early education in Kekkar school, where he topped the Bombay state matriculation exam.
He joined the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi and obtained a Ph.D. with a gold medal under the able guidance of R. L. Munjal.
He conclusively proved the serodiagonistic test which could be used in identification of physiologic races of Colletotrichum lindemuthainum.
He served as member of selection and screening committees of Agricultural Scientists recruitment board.
He them became the vice chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences from November 1989 till his death on 20 July 1991.