Born in 1953 in Manchanabele, Magadi, Dr. Siddalingaiah was one of the prominent Dalit voices of the State and was one of the co-founders of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti, along with Prof. B. Krishnappa, Devanuru Mahadeva and K.B. Siddaiah in 1974.
He emerged as the fiery voice of the Dalit world in Kannada with his debut poetry collection Hole Madigara Hadu in 1975. His poems Ikrala, odirla .., Yarige bantu, ellige bantu nalavattelara swatantrya?, Ninne dina nanna jana …, have attained cult status and have been anthems of the Dalit movement in Karnataka.