Geographically, Afghanistan lies landlocked at the centre of Asia, and, in popular consciousness, it lies frozen as a land dominated by strife. Think Afghanistan and the Taliban, which is far from defeated in the region, comes to mind.

Author Sujeet Sarkar, who works as an international advisor, with a reputed international non-governmental organisation, looks after the portfolio of governance and civil society in selected countries across Africa and Asia, including Afghanistan. In his new book, In Search of a Afghanistan, it is clear Sarkar wants to explore all things unknown about a region which has been, unfortunately, stereotyped by the western media.