Synopsis Dr. Mahendralal Sircar (1833-1904) founded the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) in 1876 which eventually produced India’s first Nobel Laureate in Science. The ‘past’ that has been ‘gleaned’ in this book corresponds to the scientific and cultural movements of the period 1869-1908. The focus of this monograph is the collection of diaries maintained by Mahendralal since 1873 and by his son Amritalal starting in 1884. Mahendralal’s interaction with Sri Ramakrishna and his disciples is a special feature of this book. His vision for the cultivation of sciences in India way ably sustained by his son, Jagadis Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chandra Ray, Asutosh Mookerjee and C.V. Raman.