The present conversation is a testament to dual intellects. Ramin Jahanbegloo is a perceptive and well-informed 'foreign' voice who is partially complicit in Ashok's quest. An indefatigable interlocutor, he comes armed with enquiries that would unnerve a lesser soul, but Ashok meets them midway with unusual candour, wit and an innate wisdom obtained from his deep-rooted immersion in Indian culture. He sees in the wisdom of the soil a microcosm of much of life's complexities including dissent as an essential shield against every dogma, be it born of power of the state, religious conformism or social evils. He employs art practice to unravel the meaning of historical truths and to counter the politics of hate. Rarely has life's spectrum been articulated so clearly and deeply through the practice of art as it is in this scintillating conversation.' - Gulam Mohammed Sheikh; Painter, Poet, and Art Critic.