The Stanford–Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists List 2026, officially released on October 7, features 6,953 scientists affiliated with Indian institutions in the single-year impact list and 3,898 in the career-long impact list. In the career-long category, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, leads Indian institutions with 139 researchers, followed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi with 114.
India’s representation in the career-long list has grown substantially, rising from 1,491 scientists in 2020 to 3,898 in 2026—an increase of 161.4%.
Compiled jointly by Stanford University and Elsevier, the list identifies researchers whose work has achieved significant citation impact across scientific disciplines. It is widely used to assess research influence and recognise scientists whose contributions have shaped their respective fields.
The database evaluates research impact through two categories: career-long impact and single-year impact. It covers 22 broad scientific fields and 174 subfields. Its methodology uses standardised citation indicators and a composite indicator (c-score), which accounts for citation counts, co-authorship adjustments and authorship positions. The framework seeks to assess research influence beyond publication volume alone.
Top 10 Indian researchers in the career-long list
The following researchers feature among the highest-ranked India-affiliated scientists in the 2026 career-long dataset.
| Rank in India | World rank | Scientist | Institution | Subfield | Rank in subfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 350 | Gautam R. Desiraju | Indian Institute of Science | Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry | 3 |
| 2 | 359 | Vinod Kumar A. Gupta | ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute | Chemical Physics | 11 |
| 3 | 369 | Jost Bruno Jonas | L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, India | Ophthalmology and Optometry | 2 |
| 4 | 430 | Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | Applied Physics | 18 |
| 5 | 1,124 | Ashok Pandey | Indian Institute of Toxicology Research | Biotechnology | 3 |
| 6 | 1,550 | Ashoke Sen | Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai | Nuclear and Particle Physics | 14 |
| 7 | 1,779 | Harish Garg | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing | 54 |
| 8 | 1,983 | Chandan I. Dasgupta | Indian Institute of Science | Applied Physics | 67 |
| 9 | 2,050 | Imran Ali | Jamia Millia Islamia | Analytical Chemistry | 6 |
| 10 | 2,869 | Undurti Narasimha Das | Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad | Nutrition and Dietetics | 20 |
Source: 2026 Stanford–Elsevier career-long impact dataset. Rankings and institutional affiliations should be checked against the original dataset before publication.
SRM University–AP reports an increase in recognised faculty
SRM University–AP, Amaravati, has reported an increase in the number of its faculty members recognised in the World’s Top 2% Scientists List, compared with seven faculty members recognised in the previous year.
Drawing on his experience as a researcher, Prof. Ch Satish Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of SRM University–AP, emphasised the effort involved in producing scientific publications and the importance of prioritising research quality and long-term impact over numerical metrics alone.
He encouraged the recognised faculty members to build on their achievements, pursue focused research agendas and contribute to the university’s ambition of significantly increasing the number of globally recognised scientists.
Dr Karthik Rajendran, Associate Dean of Quality Assurance and Rankings (QAR), highlighted the significance of the achievement in strengthening the university’s global standing. He noted that research impact contributes to institutional rankings and emphasised the importance of international collaborations, globally relevant research and translating academic work into meaningful outcomes while upholding academic integrity.
Mohan Babu University recognises seven faculty members
Mohan Babu University (MBU) has reported that seven of its faculty members feature in the World’s Top 2% Scientists List 2026, reflecting the institution’s research contributions and academic engagement.
Santosh G. Honavar retains position in ophthalmology
Dr Santosh G. Honavar, Honorary Secretary of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS), has once again been recognised among Indian researchers in ophthalmology, reportedly retaining the top position for the fifth consecutive year.
His continued recognition highlights the international citation impact of his contributions to ophthalmology.
