K Satchidanandan , Malayalam poet, playwright, travel writer, essayist and bilingual critic and translator , former Professor of English and of Translation Studies and executive head of the Sahitya Akademi, has published 24 collections of poetry in Malayalam and 33 collections of poetry in 22 languages including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, English, German, Irish, and Italian besides all the major Indian languages. He has so far won 52 regional, national and international awards for his literary contribution including Kerala Sahitya Akademi awards in five genres, Sahitya Akademi award, Kusumagraj Award, Gangadhara Meher Award , Kavisamrat Upendra Bhanja award, Kuvempu award and Ezhuthachhan award, the highest award for a writer in Kerala, Tata Lifest Poet Laureate award and Mathrubhumi Award besides Poetry for Peace International Award from UAE, Knighthood from the Government of Italy and Indo-Poland Friendship Medal from the Government of Poland. He has travelled widely in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and South and North Americas reading poetry and lecturing on Indian literature.