Born on October 5, 1963, Johnson Pandarakudiyil John hails from Kerala, India. Educated at institutions including Deva Matha College and N.S.S. Hindu College, he dedicated 22 years to teaching both in India and overseas. An accomplished writer, John published five novels and three poetry collections in Malayalam. His accolades include six state awards and two international recognitions, notably from the Holland Park Press and the United Poet Laureates International. A chess aficionado, John reached the finals of the Indian Chess Problem Solving Tournament twice in the 1990s. His compositions featured in The Hindu and L’Italia Scacchistica.