Gerrit Jan Meulenbeld

Who is Gerrit Jan Meulenbeld?

Gerrit Jan Meulenbeld is a physician scholar who researches in Indology, especially in the field of Ayurveda.

Meulenbeld studied medicine and Indology in Utrecht. In 1954 he founded on psychiatry. Completion sixties he came back into contact with Indology . Immediately after receiving his doctorate Meulenbeld began to write the historical overview of the Indian medical literature. Since 1978 he worked as a research fellow at the University of Ghent and psychiatrist at the Van Mesdagkliniek in Groningen. In 1986 accepted a full-time job at the Mesdagkliniek when the Indian Institute of Languages and Cultures of the University was threatened with closure. There he worked until his retirement in 1988.

The History of Indian Medical literature is available for both the students of Ayurveda and those inclined in the study of Sanskrit, Indian philosophy, anthropology and history medical traditions. Dr Meulenbeld also translated the first ten chapters of Madhavanidana, Sanskrit treatise, with its Sanskrit commentaries: Madhukoshatika and Athankadarpana, in 1974 under the supervision of legendary Indologist, Jan Gonda.