K. Satchidanandan ( b. 1946) who has been the Director of Kerala Literature Festival since its inception in 2016, is a poet, critic, translator, playwright , travel -writer and academic. He has served as Professor of English in Christ college affiliated to the Calicut University, Professor and Director of the Centre for Translation Studies IGNOU, Editor of ‘Indian Literature’ and Secretary, Sahitya Akademi ( National Academy of Letters) and was until recently, National Fellow, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla. He is Co-chairman for culture, Kerala Planning Commission and edits Lokamalayalam, a government journal for the Malayali diaspora besides Guftugu , an on-line quarterly of literature and ideas. He has published more than 20 collections of poetry. His ‘Collected Poems, 1965-2015’ in Malayalam came out in 2016. His many collections in English translation include Misplaced Objects and Other Poems ( Sahitya Akademi)The Missing Rib, , Not Only the Oceans ( Poetrywala, Bombay) and While I write ( Harper-Collins) He has also authored 20 collections of essays on literature, philosophy and social issues, two plays, four books of travel and a memoir in Malayalam besides five books on comparative Indian literature in English. He has 32 collections of poetry in other languages including French, Italian, German, Irish, Arabic, Chinese and English besides 9 Indian languages. His translations from world poetry into Malayalam-around 2000 pages- have been collected in six volumes . Satchidanandan has also edited three literary journals in Malayalam and more than 25 books of poetry and essays in Malayalam and English. He has represented India in several literary festivals and book fairs in 26 countries in six continents. He has won 53 awards for his literary contribution, including Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (5 times in different genres), Sahitya Akademi Award, Kuvempu National Award( Karnataka), NTR National award (Andhra pradesh), Kusumagraj National Award ( Maharashtra), Gangadhar Meher National Award and Kavisamrat Upendra Bhanja award ( Orissa), besides all the major literary awards in Kerala including Ezhuthachhan Award, the topmost literary award given by the Government of Kerala to any writer in the language. He is a Fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and has been honoured with Knighthood by the Govt. of Italy, Dante Medal by Dante Institute, Ravenna, International Poetry for Peace Award by the government of UAE, and Indo-Polish Friendship Medal by the Govt. of Poland.