Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE FRAS, was a distinguished British science fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host.

He is renowned for co-writing the screenplay for the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, widely considered one of the most influential films of all time. Clarke was a fervent popularizer of space travel and a futurist with an uncanny ability. Over his career, he penned more than a dozen books and numerous essays on these subjects, which appeared in various popular magazines. In 1961, he was awarded the Kalinga Prize by UNESCO for popularizing science, and his contributions to science and science fiction writing earned him the moniker "Prophet of the Space Age". His extensive work in science fiction also garnered him numerous Hugo and Nebula awards, cementing his status as one of the towering figures of the genre. For many years, Clarke, alongside Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, was celebrated as one of the "Big Three" of science fiction.

An ardent advocate for space travel, Clarke joined the British Interplanetary Society in 1934 as a teenager. In 1945, he proposed a satellite communication system using geostationary orbits, showcasing his forward-thinking vision. He also served as chairman of the British Interplanetary Society during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

In 1956, Clarke emigrated from England to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), largely to pursue his interest in scuba diving. That year, he discovered the underwater ruins of the ancient Koneswaram temple in Trincomalee, further enhancing his reputation as an undersea explorer. Clarke's fame continued to grow in the 1980s through his role as host of several television shows, including Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World. He resided in Sri Lanka until his passing.

Clarke was honored with the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1989 for his services to British cultural interests in Sri Lanka. He was knighted in 1998 and was awarded Sri Lanka's highest civil honour, Sri Lankabhimanya, in 2005.