Remembering Dr. Shahul H.M. Nilar: Scientist of eminence

Dr. Shahul H.M. Nilar (1955–2025) was a scientist of eminence, whose contributions to Quantum Chemistry and Computational Drug Design have left an indelible mark on the scientific community. This tribute celebrates his life and achievements.

By Dr. Marcian Van Dort and Niranjan Selvadurai

Dr. Shahul Nilar, a renowned scientist in the fields of Quantum Chemistry and Computational Drug Design, passed away peacefully on 31 May 2025, while visiting family in Malaysia.

Dr. Shahul H.M. Nilar

Born in 1955, Dr. Nilar, affectionately known as Meeran by his schoolmates, completed his primary and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo. He demonstrated exceptional academic promise from an early age. At the GCE Ordinary Level Examinations held in 1970, Nilar secured 4 Distinctions which included Chemistry and Mathematics.

Shahul Nilar earned his B.Sc. in Science, specialising in Pure and Applied Mathematics and Chemistry, from the University of Colombo in 1977, graduating with First Class Honours. During his time there, he also conducted distinguished postgraduate research under the mentorship of Professor R.A. Thuraisingham, for which he received the prestigious Kandiah Memorial Award.

Driven by a passion for theoretical science, Dr. Nilar pursued his graduate studies at the University of Florida, completing a Ph.D. in Quantum Theory with a focus on Intermolecular Interactions. His academic excellence was aptly recognised with the highly prestigious Presidential Recognition Award. He then undertook postdoctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of New Brunswick, further deepening his expertise.

Dr. Nilar began his professional career at the National Research Council of Canada in Montreal. He then transitioned into the pharmaceutical industry, where he made a lasting impact over the next three and a half decades. He held key scientific positions at the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases in Singapore, Valeant Pharmaceuticals in California, and Pfizer in San Francisco. Later, he served as Director of Computational Chemistry at Global Blood Therapeutics until his retirement in 2024. His leadership in this role helped drive forward drug discovery efforts focused on often-neglected, rare diseases.

A pioneering mind in the field of Computational Chemistry, Dr. Nilar’s work advanced the use of Molecular Modeling and in-silico techniques in pharmaceutical development. He authored over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications and was awarded several US patents. He also served on the Editorial Boards of major scientific journals, including Current Computer-Aided Drug Design, Informatics of Combinatorial Chemistry, and Computational and Theoretical Chemistry.

Outside his professional life, Shahul had varied interests and hobbies which he pursued with his customary vigour. His love of poetry and stage theatrical productions, as well as a rekindling of his childhood passion for playing the piano comes to mind. There he was, practicing various classical pieces with the stated ambition of performing one day at the famed Carnegie Hall. Yes, Shahul always aimed high and usually succeeded.

Dr. Nilar will be remembered not only for his scientific contributions but also for his humility, intellectual curiosity, sharp intellect, humour, and generosity in mentoring young scientists. He leaves behind a legacy of innovation, integrity, and excellence in research. A lifelong bachelor, Shahul is survived by his elder sister, Kulthoom Aboobucker, who resides in Malaysia. Let us cherish and celebrate the memory of a remarkable human being who shared his life with us and has now moved on…

“For life and death are one, even as the river and sea are one” – Khalil Gibran

(The writers were university batchmates and long-time friends of Dr. Shahul Nilar.)