The characters of Ordeal of Innocence have walked on the soil of America, England and Northern India with me.While completing this novel I am at pains to leave each of them Shashank Patel, Sukanya, Paul Martin, Ron Michaels, Martha, Mary, Dr. Laxmi Patel, Chad Johnson, Tony, and nurse Susan as I have lived with them for a very long time and endured their feelings of joy, sadness, excitement and pain. Today, I stand alone on a pavement of life without them. Changing values have brought about significant transformation in today s society. Nevertheless, in these continually fluid circumstances it s a matter of solace that people try to find meaning amidst emotional turmoil. I have tried to weave such diverse emotions in this novel. It s heartening that emotional upheavals have been conquered by love and concern for other human beings. This preface can never be complete if I don t express my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Janet Evans of Ivy House Publishing Group for choosing to publish this novel. My friends Mr. Pavankumar Jain and Mr. Kanchanlal C. Parikh, Ex-Vice Chancellor of Gujarat University, extended unstinted support, help and encouragement while preparing this novel in English.

Ordeal of Innocence explores the psychological and spiritual fissures opened up by the cultural dissonance of our modern age, and, as such, should strike a chord with anyone dissatisfied with the complexity and shallowness of our modern lives. The ultimate value of this novel is that the narrative offers a perceptive view of Indian culture before the world.

Prof.Laxmi Shanker,D.Litt.