José Gerson da Cunha

José Gerson da Cunha (2 February 1844 – 3 August 1900) was a Goan physician who achieved international renown as an orientalist, historian, linguist and numismatist.

José Gerson da Cunha was born in Arpora, Bardez on 2 February 1844, the eldest of twelve children to a Goan Catholic couple, Francisco Caetano da Cunha and Leopoldina Maria Gonçalves. Francisco was an infantry lieutenant in the Portuguese army stationed in Goa who had taken part in the military campaign against the Marathas at Uspa and Rarim in Savantvadi. The family traced its descent to Balkrishna Shenoy, also known as Balsa Sinai; a 16th-century Goud Saraswat Brahmin from Cortalim in Salcette. Upon his employment by the Portuguese authorities in 1555, Balkrishna moved to Pilerne in Bardez with his two nephews Mangappa and Panduranga Shenoy. There he converted to Christianity and adopted the surname "Cunha". He later settled down in Arpora. His conversion had been preceded by that of his nephew Mangappa who changed his name to Pero Ribeiro and earned the distinction of being the first Christian of Bardez.

Cunha did his primary studies and study of humanities in Panjim. He then moved to Bombay and enrolled in the Grant Medical College to pursue his medical studies. While there, Cunha distinguished himself by winning many prizes. However, he failed to obtain his licentiate in Medicine, and instead obtained the first degree of Licentiate of the University of Bombay in 1864. He moved to London in 1867 to obtain his degree and in the same year, obtained the diplomas of L.R.C.P. Lond. and M.R.C.S Eng. Cunha specialised in obstetrics at Edinburgh and London. He returned to Bombay in 1868, where he soon acquired a large practice.

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