Dr. Shambhu Dayal Gaur was one of the first member of the faculty who joined the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Mid sixties were the early years of the department and it was functioning with make shift arrangements from three different sites. The pace of development was breathtaking. It was laying down the foundations of training, research and community based health services for the department which later became a model for several departments across the country. If the vision and leadership was being provided for this all round development of the department by its first Professor and Head Dr. S.M. Marwah of the Department the faculty members were putting their best efforts to give shape to the vision and mission of the department. The efforts of Dr. Gaur in the progress and development of the Department in the formative years was unmatched.

Dr. Gaur was highly accomplished doyen of discipline of epidemiology which he taught the undergraduate and post-graduate students with flair and passion. His research in the area of filariasis, waterborne diseases, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, river pollution and primary health care in particular were simply outstanding and unparalleled. He published over hundred scientific papers in international and national journals and presented scores of papers in the scientific conferences and seminars.
Extremely unassuming mild-mannered and affable, he was always accessible to his students and staff whose problems he listened to them patiently and evolved just and acceptable solutions. No wonder he was greatly admired and loved by his staff and students alike.

Dr. Gaur was honored by national and state level academic associations by conferring their fellowships and inviting him to deliver orations. He was also a past President of Indian Public Health Association in 1993. He was a Fellow of Indian Public Health Association, Fellow of Indian Society of Malaria and Communicable Diseases.

In his passing away the discipline has lost an excellent teacher and research scientist. Above all, he was a good human being.