Hailing from Dharwad, Nachiketa Yakkundi was initiated into Hindustani vocal music by his parents. His formal study began in Madras under Shri B. N. Simha, and later under Shri B. Hanumantachar. His rigorous and extended tutelage came under the virtuoso Padma Bhushan Pandit Basavraj Rajguru. Nachiketa Yakkundi has performed in several venues across India and North America. A resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, he has been teaching since 1995, and has been running the Rajguru Sangeet Vidyaniketan school of music since 1999.