31 Nepali scientists make Stanford's list of world's top 2% scientists

Thirty-one Nepali scientists have been included in the 2025 list published by Stanford University in the United States in collaboration with the publishing company Elsevier.

The list covers the world's top 2% most influential scientists. According to Dr Niranjan Koirala, a scientist at the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), seven of those on the list are affiliated with Tribhuvan University.

Other scientists on the list work at various universities, research institutions and in the health sector. Researchers affiliated with the Nepal Health Research Council and the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences are also on the list.

Scientists linked to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) are included as well. Dr Koirala himself has also made the list.

He is actively engaged in research on medicinal plants, herbs and medicines based on natural products. He believes Nepal's biodiversity holds great potential for drug development.