Rudyard Kipling was a renowned British author and poet. He was born in Bombay, British India, on 30 December 1865, which significantly inspired his oeuvre. Kipling is best known for his works of fiction, notably The Jungle Book duology, which includes The Jungle Book (1894) and The Second Jungle Book (1895). Other famous works include Kim (1901), the Just So Stories (1902), and a plethora of short stories such as The Man Who Would Be King (1888).

His poems, including Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910), mark him as a major innovator in the art of the short story. Kipling's children's books are enduring classics of children's literature.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kipling was one of the United Kingdom's most popular writers. In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first English-language writer to receive this honor and its youngest recipient to date at the age of 41. Despite his acclaim, Kipling declined several honors, including the British Poet Laureateship and a knighthood.

Following his death on 18 January 1936, Kipling's ashes were interred at Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey. His reputation has fluctuated with the political and social climate over the years, yet he remains recognized as an unparalleled interpreter of the British Empire's experiences.