10 Indian Pulmonologists shine in Stanford University 2025 List of World's Top 2% Scientists
New Delhi: Altogether 10 Indian pulmonologists from prestigious health and medical institutes across India have been recognised among the world’s top 2% of scientists in the database curated by Professor John P.A. Ioannidis of Stanford University, in collaboration with the Elsevier Data Repository.
This honour acknowledges their pioneering research, clinical achievements, and consistent impact on the field. The database of Stanford University for the year 2025 of top-cited scientists provides standardised information on citations, h-index, co-authorship adjusted h-index, citations to papers in different authorship positions and a composite indicator (c-score). The selection is based on the top 100,000 scientists by c-score (with and without self-citations) or a 2% or above percentile rank in the sub-field.
Here are the details of the Indian pulmonologists included in Stanford University's 2025 list:
1. Dr Sundeep Salvi
Dr Sundeep Salvi is the Director of Pulmocare Research and Education (PURE) Foundation based in India. After completing his Specialisation in Respiratory Medicine, he obtained a PhD in clinical medicine from the University of Southampton in the UK for his research on air pollution and lung health. He returned to India in 2002 and set up the Chest Research Foundation and, more recently, the PURE Foundation, where he is actively involved in conducting research, educational programs and advocacy related to asthma and COPD.
He has been a pioneer in the field of non-smoking COPD. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of GOLD and a Scientific Committee Member of GINA. According to Stanford University's list, he is ranked in the top 0.08% of Respiratory Scientists in the world. In 2024, he became the President of the India Chest Society and is also the Course Director for IPCRG's novel e-learning programme for primary care Spirometry Simplified.
As per the list, Dr Salvi holds a rank of 7,673 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 7,895 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 29, with a total of 6,398 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
2. Dr Ritesh Agarwal
Currently working as a Professor in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, Dr Ritesh's primary research area is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. He also maintains keen interest in interventional pulmonology and meta-analysis.
Dr Ritesh Agarwal was born and educated in Chennai (India). He completed his medical school (M.B.B.S) in 1998 from Stanley Medical College, Chennai and joined the Residency Program in Internal Medicine at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh in 1998. Subsequently, he completed his Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine from the same Institute in 2004.
Dr. Agarwal has more than 700 publications to his credit. He has written several chapters in national and international books. He is also co-editor of two books (Oxygen Therapy, Textbook of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine). He was awarded the ICMR Kamal Satbir Award for the year 2009, the NASI-Scopus Young Scientist Award (Medicine category) for the year 2011, the ICMR Shakuntala Amir Chand Award for the year 2012, the ICMR Chaturvedi Ghanshyam Das Jaigopal Memorial Award for the year 2019, and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for the year 2020, for his work in the field of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
Dr. Agarwal is a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians, Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, Indian Chest Society and Royal College of Physicians of Glasgow.
As per the list, Dr Ritesh holds a rank of 16,434 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 11,975 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 15, with a total of 1,476 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
3. Dr Ashutosh Nath Aggarwal
Dr Ashutosh, an Assistant Professor at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, is a distinguished specialist in Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine. A graduate of AIIMS Delhi, he completed his MBBS in 1991 and MD in General Medicine in 1994 before pursuing a DM in Pulmonary Medicine at PGIMER in 1995. With expertise in pulmonary function testing, bronchoscopy, sleep medicine, and respiratory intensive care, he also heads the department’s sleep laboratory. Dr Ashutosh has published more than 175 scientific papers in national and international journals.
As per the list, Dr Ritesh holds a rank of 37,084 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 31,718 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 14, with a total of 1,346 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
4. Dr Anurag Agrawal
A renowned pulmonologist, Professor Anurag Agrawal, is Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University, and former director of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, a national laboratory of CSIR, India. After completing graduate medical education at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, he further trained in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, followed by a PhD in Physiology from Delhi University.
Known for his studies on lung diseases, Dr Agrawal is a senior DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance fellow. He received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, the highest Indian science award, for his contributions to Medical Sciences in 2014, as well as the National Bioscience Award for Career Development in 2015. As the head of a national laboratory and as an elected fellow of both the major national science academies of India, Dr Agrawal is deeply engaged with the science-society interface and biomedical policy development. His current focus areas include the use of information technology and big data analytics for effective application of community health efforts and the development of pattern-based diagnostics. His group has also developed integrated solutions for healthcare delivery and digital data collection in resource-limited settings, as well as computational tools for the visualisation and analysis of complex medical datasets.
As per the list, Dr Anurag holds a rank of 94,700 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 105,962 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 25, with a total of 4,969 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
5. Dr Zarir F Udwadia
The first to report cases of Totally Drug-Resistant TB from India that stirred up intense medical and media attention in 2012 with 2500 articles in newspapers and news sites across the world, including BBC, CNN, Reuters, Times UK, Canadian Globe, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Science, Nature and a special feature on him in the prestigious Lancet, Dr Zarir F Udwadia is a consultant chest physician and MD, DNB, FCCP (USA) and FRCP (London) attached to the Hinduja Hospital & Research Center, Breach Candy Hospital, and Parsee General Hospitals.
He has struck a unique balance of combining a busy clinical practice with internationally acclaimed medical research. He sees over 10,000 patients annually in his extremely busy clinics. Special interests include TB, MDR-TB, ILD, Asthma, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sleep disorders, COVID-19 and Bronchoscopy.
His special interests include TB, MDR-TB, ILD, Asthma, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sleep disorders, COVID-19 and Bronchoscopy. He is a prolific researcher and has over 170 PubMed-indexed medical research publications in the world's premier academic medical journals.
He has been invited to deliver lectures at conferences and universities around the world, including the Royal Society of Medicine (London), the Royal College of Physicians (London), the European Respiratory Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, the International TB Union, and several lectures at Harvard University, Boston.
He has been an advisor to the WHO and was invited to Geneva on several occasions to help formulate the current TB and MDR-TB guidelines. He had given two TED talks, one on Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis and the other on COVID-19, both of which have been widely viewed.
As per the list, Dr Zarir holds a rank of 118,366 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 124,415 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 19, with a total of 1,074 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
6. Dr. Devasahayam Jesudas Christopher
Serving as a Professor at the Department of Pulmonary Medicine of Christian Medical College, Vellore, Dr has a plethora of degrees to his credit, including BSc, DTCD DNB FICS FAPSR FRCP(Glasg) FIARC, and FCCP. Dr D J Christopher is a clinician-scientist involved in research covering a spectrum of Respiratory and Allergy disorders. He has been Principal Investigator in several national and international clinical trials, over the past 17 years. Tuberculosis (TB) has been his major area of research. Multiple publications in high-impact journals have resulted in over 270 peer-reviewed publications.
He was rated among the top 2% of the respiratory scientists of the World by the Stanford University (2021, 2022 & 2024). He has held leadership positions in international research consortia such as RePORT India – an Indo-US TB research consortium - and now chairs its publications committee. He is chairman of the scientific advisory committee, of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)- National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis {NIRT}, the premier research body of the government of India). Under his leadership, the Pulmonology Department at Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore has been recognized as a Collaborating Center of Excellence for TB research by the ICMR and a Center of Excellence for Allergy by the World Allergy Organization. He heads a vibrant research unit with nearly 40 full-time research staff.
He is currently serving as the Director of the World Allergy Organisation (WAO), Center of Excellence. He is the Principal investigator the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, CMC, Vellore, an ICMR collaborating center of excellence, awarded in recognition of commendable achievements in biomedical research. He has been honoured with several awards including Inspiring Chest Physicians of India, Lifetime Achievement Award’ in recognition of excellence in the field of Respiratory Medicine by the Coimbatore Respiratory Society, Dr.S.N.Tripathi Presidential Oration’, awarded by the Indian Chest Society, CME Excellence Dronacharya Award for exceptional CME contribution in Pulmonary & Respiratory medicine, during the CME Excellence Summit & Awards, and Dr OA Sharma oration award.
As per the list, Dr Devasahayam holds a rank of 138,838 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 136,970 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 40, with a total of 11,355 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
7. Dr Sahajal Dhooria
He had completed his MBBS and MD (Internal Medicine) from AIIMS, New Delhi. He then joined the DM (Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine) fellowship at PGIMER, Chandigarh, which he completed in December 2013. He has been working as an Assistant Professor in the same department since May 2014. His areas of interest include sarcoidosis, diffuse parenchymal lung diseases, and interventional pulmonology.
He also maintains a keen interest in sleep medicine and critical care. Dr Dhooria has more than 310 publications to his credit. He has also authored several chapters in national and international books. His areas of interest include Interstitial lung diseases, sarcoidosis, and interventional pulmonology. He has been honoured with several awards, including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Smt. Kamal Satbir Award (2016).
As per the list, Dr Sahajal holds a rank of 142,077 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 124,525 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 12, with a total of 864 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
8. Dr Inderpaul Singh Sehgal
He was born and educated in Delhi and completed his medical school (M.B.B.S) in 2002 from Bangalore Medical College and joined the Residency Program in Internal Medicine at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak in 2006. He has also obtained a Diplomate in the National Board in Internal Medicine in 2009. Subsequently, he completed his Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, in 2014. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
His primary research areas are chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and sepsis. He also maintains a keen interest in interventional pulmonology. Dr Sehgal has more than 140 publications to his credit. He has written several chapters in national books. He was awarded the First prize in Dr M. Vishwanathan's Poster session for presenting “Profile of patients of venous thrombosis in Medical wards” at APICON, February 2009, and ICMR Smt. Kamal Satbir Award for the year 2017 in the field of interventional pulmonology.
As per the list, Dr Inderpaul holds a rank of 157,383 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 102,522 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 12, with a total of 820 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
9. Dr Surinder Kumar Jindal
Dr S.K. Jindal joined Jindal Chest Clinics, Chandigarh, after superannuation from PGIMER on April 30th, 2014. He is a distinguished medical teacher and clinician who headed the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India from 1988 to 2014. He got the department recognized as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Capacity Building in Chronic Respiratory Diseases in 2008-9. He had introduced the post-doctoral (DM) course in Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine in India for the first time in 1989. With over 40 years of experience, he has guided and mentored a large number of pulmonary physicians and other trainees now occupying prestigious positions in different hospitals and institutions both in India and abroad.
Dr Jindal was honoured with the Outstanding Educator Award (2011) for scientific contributions by the American Thoracic Society. He has also received Honors from other International Bodies such as the American College of Chest Physicians, USA (Governor’s Community Service Award and End-of-life Commendation) and International Union Against TB & Lung Diseases, France (Best Scientific Contributions in Non-tuberculous Lung Diseases). He has also been awarded by many national agencies including the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Indian Council of Medical Research and Association of Physicians of India. The Indian Chest Society honored him with the prestigious Life-time Achievement Award in 2011.
Dr Jindal, in the past, has been the President of the Indian Chest Society and other National Associations including the Indian Association of Bronchology and Indian Association for Sarcoidosis and Granulomatous Lung Diseases. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, American College of Chest Physicians and of several other scientific and professional organizations. He has also served on the Scientific and Academic Committees of several national and international organizations.
He has undertaken several investigational projects including large multi-centre studies sponsored by national and international agencies. He has also pioneered guidelines for management of different lung diseases, as well as published over 320 scientific papers and reviews.
Dr Jindal has been the Associate Editor of two important and widely read journals – Chest (USA) and International Journal of TB & Lung Diseases and a member of Editorial Boards of several other journals such as Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine, Expert Reviews in Respiratory Medicine, Journal of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, Journal of Association of Physicians of India, Lung India and Indian Journal of Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences. He is the current Editor-in-chief of Chest India. Besides his books “Oxygen Therapy” and ‘Quit Smoking- Why and How?” he has edited a comprehensive, two-volume Text Book, a Hand Book in Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine and a book on Oxidative Stress in Respiratory Diseases. His latest book, titled ‘Medical Encounters’, is now also available.
As per the list, Dr Surinder holds a rank of 171,428 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 181,504 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 7, with a total of 396 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
10. Dr Dighamber Behera
Padma Shri Awardee, Dr Digambar Behera, is a renowned specialist in Respiratory Medicine who has a clinical experience of over 40 years. He has been associated with the institute of PGIMER since 1978, when he first joined there as a Junior Resident in the Department of Medicine and retired from there as the Professor and HOD of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine. He has also been in other active roles as: Joint Medical Superintendent, Nehru Hospital, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh; Director, LRS Institute (Now NITRD) of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, New Delhi; Dean (Research) - Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh; Officer on Special Duty for Establishment of AIIMS, Raebareli.
Besides, the prestigious Padma Shri, which was awarded to him in the year 2020 by the Govt. of India, Dr. Behera is the proud recipient of 29 National and 7 International Awards which include: Dr. B.C. Roy Award 2004 in the category of Eminent Medical Teacher by Medical Council of India Silver Jubilee Oration, 2020, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Amrut Mody Unichem Award (Chest Diseases) 2006 by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in recognition of significant contributions in biomedical research ICMR Award by the Indian Council of Medical Research for research in the Field of Respiratory physiology of smoking. 1985 The Karel Styblo Prize for Public Health ? 2009 by the Union (IUATLD) for contribution in the field of tuberculosis Cancer Research Fellowship Award (ICRETT) by the International Union against Cancer (UICC), Geneva. 1989 John F. Perkins Memorial Award by the American Physiology Society. 1991 Public Service Award by the American Thoracic Society (2021).
As per the list, Dr Dighamber holds a rank of 228,324 in the list based on the composite score excluding self-citations, and 190,282 when all citations are included. By the end of 2024, his h-index, excluding self-citations, stands at 8, with a total of 482 citations for 2024 (excluding self-citations).
Also read- 8 Indian Microbiologists listed in Stanford University 2025 List of World's Top 2% Scientists
