reservations concerning the prematurity of critical conclusions about Ezekiel's plays, Fritz Blackwell comes up with a truly penetrating assessment of Ezekiel as a playwrighto He examines four plays of Ezekiel -- NaUni^ Marriage Poem^ The Sleepwalkers, and Song of Deprivation -- and concludes that "they would rank high in comparison with Indian plays available in English, whether written in it or translated from other languageso" Shyamala Ao Narayan informs us about the multiplicity of Ezekiel's interests as a writer of over 300 reviews and review-articleSo She deals adequately with Ezekiel's distinctive prose style, his clarity of thought, and his sensitivity to words. As a critic, Ezekiel has been ^ailing against pretentiousness and dishonesty in any form; he has certainly made a major contribution to the literary and intellectual atmosphere of modern IndiBc Though selective, the bibliography at the end is meant to serve as a research toolo It is my sincere hope that his issue brings Ezekiel and his work a much wider attention and recognition in the English-speaking world he so richly deserveSc In conclusion, I would like to express my indebtedness to all the contributors who responded to my request for critical essays with promptness and enthusiasm, and to the authors, publishers, and editors for permission to reprint copyright material, I am particularly grateful to Nissim Ezekiel for his patience, generous help, and advice, I am grateful also to MSo Indu P, Saraiya for sharing with me her experience of Ezekiel's Poster Poems -- a blending of two esthetic forms, the verbal and the visualo I wish to express my deep sense of thankfulness to my friends Viren and Gago Luther, at whose residence in Bombay I first met Nissim Ezekiel in the summer of 1973 and discussed the plans for this issue of the Journal of South Asian Literature QSAL). Sincere thanks are also due to my colleague Stanley Freiberg, poet and critic, for his constructive criticism and suggestions, and to Hallvard Dahlie, Head of the English Department at The University of Calgary, for providing material assistance in completing this project, and for creating an environment in which one can work with freedom and dignity. To my wife, Salochna, who has always shown patience and understanding, my debt is a very special one. And finally, I should like to express my deep gratitude to Carlo Coppola for his solicitude and sustained confidence in me; without his interest and love of South Asian literature this issue would not have been possible The University of Calgary Inder Nath Kher Calgary, Alberta, Canada Guest Editor May 15, 1975