Atlanta native Kiran Bhat is an author, traveler, and polyglot. The House of Commons in the U.K. recently nominated him for International Writer of the Year under the Public Life category in the Peoples’ Awards 2026. For over 18 years, this award ceremony has brought together members of the diaspora community with Members of Parliament. Bhat’s books include We of the Forsaken World, Girar, and Speaking in Tongues, and his work has appeared in leading publications, including The Caravan and Prairie Schooner. He speaks 12 languages and has been to 177 countries. Bhat, currently based in Mumbai, is the co-chair of the Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee of the Global Indian Council.