Kavalam Narayana Panikkar (1 May 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical Sanskrit drama and Shakespeare, notably Kalidasa's ''Vikramorvasiyam'' (1981, 1996), ''Shakuntalam'' (1982), Bhasa's ''Madhyamavyayogam'' (1979), ''Karnabharam'' (1984, 2001), ''Uru Bhangam'' (1988), ''Swapnavasavadattam'', and ''Dootavakyam'' (1996). He was the founder - director of theatre troupe, Sopanam, which led to the foundation of Bhashabharati: Centre for Performing Arts, Training and Research, in Trivandrum.