Akshapada Gotama (? c. 5th century BC or 2nd century BC) (अक्षपाद गोतम) (also spelt as Aksapada Gautama, अक्षपाद गौतम) was the originator of the Nyaya school of Indian philosophy. His sutras provide a systematic presentation of the logical approach to philosophy. He was a logician who authored the Nyaya Sutras, considered the foundation of the Nyaya school of Hinduism.
Aksapada is believed to be Gautama Rishi, one of the Saptarishis (The Seven Sages) and is known as Dirghatapas; because of the various ways of rendering Sanskrit into English, there are many variant spellings of this name. Ahalya was the