Swanand Kirkire, born on April 29, 1970, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, is a multifaceted Indian artist renowned for his contributions as a lyricist, playback singer, writer, assistant director, actor, and dialogue writer in both Marathi and Hindi cinema and television. Raised in a Marathi-speaking family, his parents, Chintamani and Neelambari Kirkire, were both classical singers, which fostered his early exposure to music. Despite this musical environment, Swanand did not receive formal training in singing. He completed his schooling at Shri Dayanand Higher Secondary School and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from BVM College of Management Education in Madhya Pradesh. Pursuing his passion for the arts, he graduated from the National School of Drama in 1996.