Mr. Karan was born in 1934 in the village of Međuvođe (Pogleđevo Hamlet), near Kozarska Dubica, in the Vrbas Banate of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia. His early childhood was marked by the upheaval of World War II. During the war, he became separated from his parents on Mount Kozara and survived alone for several days in the mountainous wilderness. These profound and difficult experiences left a lasting impact on him, and he would later dedicate parts of his literary work to those memories.
Following the war, Karan balanced work and education, attending high school in Stara Pazova, Serbia. He later graduated from the University of Banja Luka, specializing in Serbian language and literature.
Karan began his professional life as a journalist, contributing to various newspapers and publishing supplements that focused on everyday life. This journalistic work served as his entry into the literary world. He went on to write short stories, humorous essays, and dramatic pieces.
In 1980, his first novel, Red Traces, won a literary award organized by Dnevnik in Novi Sad, Serbia, in the category of the National Liberation Movement. This recognition launched a prolific literary career. Over the years, he published numerous novels and collections of short stories.
His works have earned twenty literary awards. Notably, he received prizes for the novels Joja and In the Land of Tears, as well as for his collections of short fiction. In addition to prose, Karan has written monodramas, screenplays, and humorous pieces with equal success. He has authored fifty works, which have been published in 43 books. In 2025, the Organizing Committee of the 53rd Kozara Literary Encounters presented him a Charter in recognition of his remarkable literary contribution to preserving tradition and nurturing the remembrance of the people’s liberation movement of Kozara and Potkozarje.
Karan’s writing is characterized by a deep interest in human journeys and character. He does not engage in ideological debate for its own sake; instead, his works reflect the historical and cultural forces that have shaped the Balkan region. Set against the backdrop of a land often marked by division - of states, nations, and religions - his prose is vivid and expressive. Using imagery reminiscent of Van Gogh’s palette, he portrays both landscape and people with a luminous clarity, allowing glimmers of hope and faith to shine through even the darkest themes. His work consistently affirms a belief that every dark night is followed by a bright dawn, and that every tunnel has an exit.