Kulakunda Shiva Rao, better known as Niranjana, was born on 15 June 1924. A Kannada playwright, novelist and translator, he was involved with the Pragathisheela or progressive literary movement of the 1940s and '50s. Coming Forth by Day  is the English translation of his 1976 novel, Mrutyunjaya.

Niranjana wrote several short stories and novels. He was the editor of the 25-volume collection of short stories, Vishwa Katha Kosha, which brought world literature to Kannada readers. Among his well-known works are Vimochane (Wait for the Moon) published in 1953 and Chirasmarane  (The Stars Shine Brightly) which appeared in 1955 and was later made into a film. Niranjana passed away in Hyderabad on 13 March 1992, and is survived by his daughter, Tejaswini Niranjana, a well-known writer and translator.