Pak. J. Bot., 45(4): 1121, 2013.
OBITUARY: ROFESSOR DR. MUSTAFA SHAMEEL
(3rd July, 1941 – 13th May, 2013)
The soul of Dr. Mustafa Shameel, a renowned phycologist, phycochemist, developer of a new classification of algae, founder and patron of International Journal of Phycology and Phycochemistry (IJPP), mutely departed in the afternoon of Monday, the 13th May 2013 at 2:30 p.m. at his residence. May Allah the Almighty rest his soul in eternal peace in heaven. Ameen! He had been suffering from PVD, RD, glaucoma etc. and became a ischemic during the last few years of his life. During his ailment he remained active and delightfully engaged in shaping papers of his students concerning phycological investigations until last breath that reflects his keen infatuation for phycological research.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Shameel was born on Thursday the 3rd July, 1941 at Rudauli (UP, India) as the younger son of (Late) Mr. Syed Amirul Hasan Quadri. He obtained his M. Sc. degree in Botany from the University of Karachi in 1962 by securing 2nd position and Ph. D. degree in Marine Botany in 1972 from the University of Kiel, Germany under German Academic Exchange Scholarship. He did Post-Doctoral research in 1977 from the same University under Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship. Apart from that he also obtained M. D. H. in 1963, M. B. Sc. in 1964 and M. Sc. (H) with Gold Medal in Homoeopathy from International Medical College, Lahore, affiliated with Nature Cure Institute, Bradford England.
Dr. Shameel joined the Department of Botany, University of Karachi on 3rd September, 1962 and retired as Professor in 2001 and Eminent Professor (HEC) during 2003-2005. He also worked as Director of Institute of Marine Science during 1994-1998 and Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology (CEMB) during 1999-2001, University of Karachi. He has also worked as Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany, El-Fateh University, Tripoli, Libya during 1977-1978. He acted as President of Pakistan Botanical Society during 2001-2003. He was elected as Fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 2005 and as Fellow of Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy in 2008.
He was an internationally recognized authority on marine benthic algae. He had published more than 330 scientific research papers in journals of international repute and seven books on various research aspects. Beside this he was an author of 20 popular articles on various topics and 23 poems especially for children. Dr. Shameel participated in several national and international conferences and presented scientific papers. Number of students obtained Ph.D. and M.Phil. degree under his supervision. Dr. Shameel presented a new concept of barobiology of seaweeds in 1972 and reported for the first time the effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the physiology and biochemistry of marine algae. Apart from taxonomic accounts of 28 new taxa of marine algae, Dr. Shameel emphasized on seaweed natural products, where 24 new compounds such as sterols, terpenes, glycosides and other secondary metabolites had been isolated. Six new species of algae had been named after him like Ulothrix shameelii Faridi, Scinaia shameelii Afaq-Husain, Stypopodium shameelii Nizamuddin, M, Codium shameelii and Ceratium shameelii Ghazala. He developed a new concept of phycochemistry in 1990, proposed a new classification of algae. He started an International Journal of Phycology and Phycochemistry (IJPP) in 2005.
Dr. Shameel was a member of the Editorial Board of Pakistan Journal of Botany, Pakistan Journal of Marine Sciences, Marine Research (Journal), Biological Research Journal and Journal of Natural History & Wildlife and FUUAST Journal of Biology. He served as Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Journal of Marine Biology during 1999-2001, as Chief Editor of International Journal of Phycology & Phycochemistry during 2005-2010. He received “Meritorious Research Award” of the University of Karachi in 1997 and “Agha Hasan Abedi Gold Medal” in Botany from Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 1998. Karachi University Teachers Society awarded him Nishan-e-Azmat-e-Danish thrice in the year 1999, 2000 and 2001. Shields of Honour were also given to him by six renowned institutes. He remained member of more than 20 Academic Bodies of different institutes. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to scientific research, Prof. Shameel was honoured with the awards of “Izaz-i-Fazeelat” and “Tamga-i-Imtiaz” by the then President of Pakistan.
May Allah the Almighty bestow his countless blessings upon him and
strength to his numerous students, colleagues, friends and members of
family within country and abroad to bear this irreparable loss.
Ehsan Elahi Valeem, Institute of Marine Science, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270.