Pho Kyawt is an ethnic Rakhine writer, born in Kyaukphyu Township. He came to Yangon when he was 19 years old, working variously as a librarian and civil servant. He began to write seriously in 1960, publishing 57 novels mostly based on Arakanese history. He won a National Literary Award in 1972 for ‘Approaching to Victory’ and the Sarpay Beikmann Award 5 times – 4 times for his novels and once for a collection of short stories. One novel, ‘I Gave My Life for Thee’ was translated into English and published in 2018. He currently lives in Yangon.
