With a formal training in literary studies and a formidable range of linguistic skills, Ulrike Stark has negotiated with aplomb the maze of languages and scripts which dominate north India. Working at the intersection of Hindi and Urdu, her landmark research has enriched Indian print history. Stark, who is a professor at the University of Chicago, has also translated novels from Hindi into English. In an email interview with Murali Ranganathan, she discusses her work and research interests