Nilendra Krishna Nair, motivated by a desire to combat pollution, has achieved significant academic success. The son of former Assistant Commissioner of Police Itendra Nair, he left Fiji in 2009 on a Public Service Commission scholarship to study in Canada.
Mr. Nair’s upbringing in Nasova, where he witnessed the pollution affecting the coastline, inspired his commitment to environmental issues. He recently made history as the first Fijian to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Planetary Health, Climate Change, and Nutritional Epidemiology from Harvard University.
His journey has not been without challenges; after thirteen years away from home, he also completed a Master’s degree in Epidemiology at Harvard. Now 31, he is a clinical genetic scientist at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. His childhood experiences with environmental injustice have motivated him to become an advocate for change, starting from his home and expanding to his community.
Mr. Nair attended Nehru Primary School and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School in Suva before moving to Canada for his studies. Despite not completing his Form 7 education, he excelled in Canada and then the USA, completing his PhD in four years, significantly shorter than the typical six-year duration.
During his studies, he was surrounded by talented peers, which pushed him to set high standards for himself. The sacrifices made by his parents for his education provided him with a strong foundation to succeed.
Originally from Labasa, Mr. Nair is now utilizing his expertise in genetics and microbiome research to address the increasing rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the South Pacific. He focuses on understanding the genetic factors contributing to diseases within the diverse Fijian population, an area that has seen limited research until now. As part of his PhD work, he is collaborating with the government of Kiribati to study the nutrition transition in the region.
While currently vacationing in Suva, he is also working on engaging with the Fijian population and aims to partner with the Health Ministry and Fiji National University. The response to his research on NCDs has been positive, and he is committed to preventing diseases in future generations by identifying effective treatments.
Looking ahead, Mr. Nair plans to continue his research at Harvard as the first Fijian postdoctoral research fellow and instructor, focusing on the intersection of climate change, planetary health, and human health.