In a remarkable feat for Odisha, 35 scientists from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have earned a spot in the Stanford–Elsevier Top 2% Most Cited Scientists list, which recognizes the world’s most influential researchers.
The global list — one of the most respected in academic circles — ranks scientists based on career-long impact, research citations, and other parameters reflecting the significance of their work.
This year, 17 NIT Rourkela faculty members were included in the Career-Long Impact category, while 29 faculty members made it to the Single-Year Impact (2024) list. Notably, 13 faculty members feature in both lists, underscoring their consistent research excellence. Additionally, two PhD scholars from the institute have also been recognised.
Congratulating the achievers, Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao, Director of NIT Rourkela, said:
“This achievement reflects our efforts in advancing research and generating new knowledge. The high-impact publications and pioneering work of our scientists have set new standards in their fields. We remain committed to fostering an environment that encourages transformative ideas and impactful discoveries.”
The Stanford–Elsevier database ranks scientists across 22 fields and 174 sub-fields based on Scopus citation data up to the end of 2024. It highlights either the top 100,000 researchers worldwide or those in the top 2% percentile of their disciplines.
This achievement further strengthens NIT Rourkela’s reputation as a national hub of innovation and research, with recent breakthroughs in water technology, health, food sciences, and biosciences adding to its growing list of contributions.
