Firstly, it is devoted to surgical gastroenterology, a specialty that is only recently beginning to develop— an advance that owes much to the dedicated zeal of Prof Kaushik himself.

Secondly, the list of contributors is impressive: it comprises those who are not only the colossi of the surgical stage but well-known actors in the world theatre of surgery. The reader can confirm this by checking the bibliography for further reading at the end of each chapter.

Thirdly, its intended readers are specified in Prof Kaushik's Preface as aspiring young surgeons, not necessarily those about to specialise in gastroenterological surgery. He realises well that most surgeons in the world, have to take wider responsibilities on their shoulders as ‘general’ surgeons, but it remains true that the problems of the alimentary tract dominate their labours and provide a real challenge to their skills. For this reason, the information about each operation is provided in terse, lucid prose with careful definitions of all terms used, and with a brief historical introduction to set the information in context. There 14is a justifiable concentration on indications and adequate discussion of preparation for operation, aftercare and complications, and alternative methods of management where practice has still not been codified into a ‘best bet’.

My own ‘best bet’ is, that this book will be a winner. I congratulate Prof Kaushik and his colleagues and wish them success.

The ability to perform successfully an operative procedure on a patient is the most important part of a surgeon's commitment. The operative procedures described in this book are all major gastroenterological surgeries, which a budding and aspiring surgeon needs to learn and perform under guidance and supervision of great teachers in institutionalised set-ups. The book is only meant to be a support, to learn the basic indications, steps of operation and postoperative care. It should help a young faculty, an MCh/MS postgraduate and a practitioner of surgery, to remember the basics and essential steps, inside and/ or outside the operation theatre complex.

I am highly indebted to my professional colleagues, who have contributed their write-ups to this volume. 16They are all well-known experts in the superspecialty of surgical gastroenterology in this country and are very busy practitioners in their profession. I am grateful to them for having spared their time to write on request.

The best possible reward for the author would be if the book is able to help and contribute even to a small measure, making of Great Surgeons of tomorrow.