Obituary:
Dr. Majid Molla

With profound sorrow, Grassroots mourns the passing of Dr. Majid Molla, a pioneering pediatric gastroenterologist, distinguished academic and researcher, one of the scientists behind the development of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT), and founding Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Aga Khan University, Pakistan.

Dr. Molla's contributions to global child health were nothing short of transformative. As a young researcher at the Cholera Research Laboratory in Dhaka, now the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), he was among the small group of scientists who pioneered Oral Rehydration Therapy, an innovation that has since saved tens of millions of lives and is regarded as one of the most important medical advances of the 20th century. In 1982, he and his colleagues developed a rice-based oral rehydration solution, demonstrating that this cereal-based formula was as effective as standard ORS. It was a breakthrough that brought life-saving treatment within reach of families in regions where rice was a staple food.

A specialist in pediatric gastroenterology, Dr. Molla devoted his career to understanding and treating the digestive and nutritional disorders that disproportionately affect children in the developing world. He later joined Aga Khan University as Professor and founding Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and subsequently served as Professor of Pediatrics at Kuwait University and Chair of Pediatrics at the University of Kuwait Hospital. Through his leadership, scholarship, and quiet excellence, he shaped generations of physicians and built institutions that continue to heal children today.

Yet behind every accolade was a gentle and devoted man. Dr. Molla was a beloved husband, father, mentor, and guiding presence to all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son, including Dr. Nasreen Molla Adajmee, co-founder of Grassroots. His values of service, compassion, integrity, and devotion to humanity live on through his family and the countless lives he touched.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, children, grandchildren, colleagues, students, and all who grieve this immense loss. May Dr. Majid Molla rest in eternal peace, and may those who loved him find comfort in cherished memories and in knowing that the world is a kinder, healthier place because he was in it.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.