Vridhatrayi-History of Ancient Indian Medical Science

Gurupada Sarma Haldar was born on 17 July, 1879, in the family of the hereditary custodians of the famous Kali Temple in Kalighat in Calcutta. His education was interrupted by the death of his father when he was only thirteen. He resumed his studies when he was grown up and passed the B.L. Examination of the University of Calcutta. He never practised law nor accepted any other calling but vigorously continued his studies of Sanskrit throughout his life. He became a versatile scholar and his command over several languages including Sanskrit was phenomenal. He wrote four voluminous works, viz. Vyakarana darsanera itihasa (History of the Philosophy of Sanskrit Grammar), Sanatsujatiyam (Commentary on a philosophical section of the Mahabharata), Vaidyakavrttanta (History of Ayurveda) and Vrddhatrayi. He published all these works using his own final resources and never sold copies but presented them to interested readers. He died in the early sixties of this century.