The artist was born in Mysore; he studied at Mysore’s Chamaraja Technical Institute from 1954-1959. In 1988, he moved to Kalale, a small secluded village in Karnataka. In 2003, he was bestowed with Rotary Ramsons Kala Pratishtana Award and Honorary Award of Karnataka Lalita Kala Academy. In 2004, he received the Veerappa Award. In 2011, Simha was conferred the Kuncha Kala Tapasvi Tippaji Chitragar Award by the Tippaji Chitragar Art Foundation.