Biswas's intellectual activities extended far beyond mineral engineering and covered languages, archaeometallurgy, minerals and gems in ancient India, literature, music and religions – mostly in the Indian context. Biswas was the founder-president of the Indian Languages Society, which organized a national seminar on Profiles in Indian languages during 10–12 December 1982. The proceedings of the seminar were published as a multi-authored book Profiles in Indian languages and literatures, which received international acclaim. The period around 1980 was also the beginning of his increasing interest in archaeometallurgy. Characterisation studies on ancient slag and retorts from Zawar mines later culminated in a number of papers on the primacy of India in brass and zinc metallurgy. During 1987–90, History of Science Division of Indian National Science Academy (INSA) sponsored a project on 'Minerals and Metals in Ancient India up to 1200 AD from Sanskrit Literature and other Sources'. In this project, he was ably assisted by his wife, Sulekha, a Sanskrit scholar. The project completion report submitted in 1991 later (in 1996) resulted in the publication of the monumental monograph called 'Minerals and Metals in Ancient India'. This two volume monograph (volume 1 – Archaeological Evidence, Volume – 2 Literary Evidence) tells the fascinating, coherently woven story of the Mineral and Metals from across the entire sub-continental sprawl of the old-world India (including Pakistan and Bangladesh). In following years (1991–94), INSA sponsored another project on Minerals and Metals in Pre-Modern period (1200–1900 AD) which led to the publication of several interesting papers in Indian J History of Science; Gem minerals in pre-Modern India, Non-Gem Minerals in Pre-modern India and Iron and Steel in Pre-modern India. Biswas delved deep into the ancient Indian texts and established the etymology of beryllium-containing minerals in the Indian and world literature – particularly of Beryl (Vaidurya) and emerald (Marakata). Similarly, other topics related to history of science included : History of science in India : In search of a new paradigm, Rasa-Ratna Samuccaya and Mineral Processing State of Art in the 13th Century A.D. India, Revered father Eugene Lafont and science activity of St Xavier's College,Revered father Eugene Lafont and science activity of St Xavier’s College
