Ruskin Bond is an Indian author known for his vivid storytelling and contribution to children's literature. Born on 19 May 1934, he wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof, at the age of seventeen. This novel won the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in 1957. Over the years, Bond has authored more than 500 short stories, essays, and novels, including 69 books for children.

His collection of short stories, Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra, earned him the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1992. In recognition of his significant contributions to literature, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.