Ravi Dayal

The 57-year-old novelist talks about the movements in history and his life that shape his work.

Ravi liked to ask questions and he expected answers that were lucid and logical. If God had a theory of this world, Ravi would have liked it to be coherent, consistent and, more importantly, fair-minded.

Ramanujan was a man of impeccable taste and fastidiousness, and would probably have been distressed by this volume.

The critics' choice of some of the memorable books of the year 1999

Plainly put, Ravi Dayal (1937 - 2006) was one of the great editors of his time: the sort of expertise he brought to the printed word simply doesn't exist any more, not just in India but anywhere.