Putu Oka Sukanta was a political prisoner from 1966-1976, following the military coup that brought General Suharto to power. Since his release, he has been invited overseas to conduct theater performances, poetry readings, and literary conferences in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Australia, Malaysia, Germany and France. His works include children’s books, three poetry collections, and two volumes of short stories. He works as an acupuncturist and has written books on alternative medicine.