The intellectual foundation for his work in the history of mathematics was forged during his long and distinguished career as a physicist. His research focus was on theoretical and mathematical physics. The conceptual rigour required to deconstruct and formulate these theoretical ideas equipped him to later approach ancient Sanskrit texts with a level of precision and insight that a less technically-trained historian might not have possessed (In this, he was ably assisted by a Sanskrit scholar from Mumbai University.) This fusion of a modern scientific mindset with the study of ancient manuscripts allowed him to understand and decipher these texts, making his historical work a truly unique contribution to the field. He combined his research with a passion to communicate: Today, his lectures, books and scholarly papers are a treasure.
Fundamental to all of Swaminathan’s efforts—most of them very successful—was to address non-trivial problems and not hesitate to grapple with complexity and apparent insurmountability. Each facet of his professional life is an example of this trait. 
This a culmination of efforts by Dr. Deepak Pental and his team, starting from 1983. Here, below, is a brief history of this journey, culled from the PPT he sent a while ago. 
“After nearly seventy years, [the]..1952 papers on the mechanisms underlying the action potential seem more and more like the Shakespeare plays of neurophysiology, works of astounding beauty that become less accessible to each successive generation of scientists.” 
