Kavalam Narayana Panicker

Kavalam Narayana Panicker (28 April 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director and poet. 
He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, mainly "Madhyamavyayogam" (1979), Kalidasa's "Vikramorvasiyam" (1981, 1996), "Shakuntalam" (1982), "Karnabharam" (1984, 2001), Bhasa's "Uru Bhangam" (1988), "Swapnavasavadattam" and "Dootavakyam" (1996). 
He was the founder director of theatre troupe, Sopanam, which led to the foundation of Bhashabharati: Centre for Performing Arts, Training and Research, in Trivandrum.
He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Direction in 1983 by Sangeet Natak Akademi, and its highest award for lifetime achievement, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2002.