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''I confess, as a Hindu, the subject of Hindu Chemistry has always had a fascination for me. But there is another valid reason as to why I threw myself heart and soul into the task of recovering the precious gems bequeathed by our chemical ancestors. It is to an illustrious roll of European scholars beginning with Sir Wm. Jones, Colebrooke, Prinsep, Lassen, Burnouff and Csoma de Koros that we are mainly indebted for bringing to light and giving prominence to, the priceless treasures embedded in Sanskrit, Pali and Tibetan literature. Hindu Chemistry, however, waited long and patiently for an interpreter. I thought I owed a debt to the great nation to which I am proud to belong. Hence it is that I felt it incumbent upon me to dedicate some of the best years of my life to this self-imposed task with what success it is not for me to say.'' (See p. 101)