Several J&K scientists among Stanford University's top 2% global researchers

Srinagar, Sep 18: In a significant development for the scientific community in Jammu and Kashmir, several local scientists have been recognised in Stanford University’s prestigious list of the top 2% of researchers globally. Leading the group is Dr Parvaiz Koul, the former Director of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar.

Stanford University’s list features 223,252 global researchers, with 68,343 in the field of Clinical Medicine, including 929 from India.

Dr Koul stands out at number 3 among 15 Indian researchers in the field of Respiratory Medicine, with a global ranking of 24,932. He is the only researcher from Jammu and Kashmir in this category, representing SKIMS. Another scientist from the region, Dr MS Khuroo, ranks globally at 53,554, also in the field of Clinical Medicine.

Dr Koul, who has more than 500 published articles to his credit, has been consistently ranked at the top from Jammu and Kashmir for the past five years. The list of respiratory specialists also includes six from PGIMER, Chandigarh, along with others from institutions such as PD Hinduja, Mumbai, VP Chest Institute, New Delhi, and King George’s University, Lucknow.

Currently serving as the National Technical Expert for Asthma and COPD for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Dr. Koul expressed his gratitude and called on young researchers to continue pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration. "This is my fifth consecutive time on this global list. With over 107,000 citations and an H-index of 80, I am honoured. But it is essential for the younger generation to take the baton forward and excel," he said.

Dr Koul emphasised the importance of young scientists in Jammu and Kashmir stepping up to build on this success, stating, "We need our youth to do better than us. Their achievements will bring the greatest satisfaction to me."

In addition to Dr. Koul and Dr. Khuroo, several other researchers from Jammu and Kashmir have been recognised across various fields of science. Scientists from the University of Kashmir, SKUAST, NIT have also made their mark, reflecting the growing research output from the region.

This recognition of J&K scientists on the global stage, particularly in Clinical Medicine, highlights the region’s contributions to global research. Dr. Koul’s achievements, along with those of other prominent scientists, serve as a source of inspiration for future generations to elevate the region’s standing in the scientific community.

The scientists who have achieved this prestigious recognition include -- Prof Farooq A Masoodi (Food Technology); Prof Shakeel A Romshoo (Earth Sciences); Prof Ghulam Jeelani (Earth Sciences); Prof Manzoor A Shah (Botany); Prof Aziz-ul-Azeem (Mathematics); Prof Imtiyaz Ahmad (Zoology); Prof Firdous Ahmad Khanday (Biotechnology); Dr Manzoor A Mir (Bioresources); Dr Shabir A Parah (Electronics); Dr Farooq Ahmad Khanday (Electronics); Dr Adil Gani (Food Technology); Dr Idrees Ahmad (Food Technology); Dr Faheem A Sheikh (Nanotechnology) and Dr Mudasir Ahmad (Food Technology).

This year’s report, which updates a list first released in 2019, includes bibliometric data on over 1,80,000 researchers worldwide, emphasising the outstanding contributions of these scholars in their respective fields.

Other researchers from Jammu and Kashmir who have earned a place in Stanford University's prestigious top 2% list include Shabir Wani and Zuhaib Bhat.  Additionally, Mohd Iqbal Matoo, Dharam Abrol, Deepak Kumar, and Neelesh Sharma from SKUAST, Jammu and Kashmir, have made it to the list, highlighting the region's growing scientific contributions. Six scientists from NIT Srinagar have also found their place in the list.