Putu Oka Sukanta

Putu Oka Sukanta, born in Bali in 1939, is a writer and editor of fiction and non-fiction. He has written novels, poetry, collections of stories, and books about HIV/AIDS and traditional healing. His writing has also been published in English, German, and French translation. From 1966 to 1976 Putu was detained without trial because he was an activist with the leftist arts organization LEKRA. He now lives in Jakarta, where he has an acupuncture practice, works to promote traditional medicine, and is active in programs for human rights and the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Putu is often invited overseas to present his writing and ideas. In 2012 he was awarded a Hellman/Hammett grant for commitment to free expression and courage in the face of persecution by Human Rights Watch, New York.