Sri Lanka's Top 2% Scientists 2026

Sri Lanka has 68 scientists on the 2026 single-year Top 2% list, up 28.3% from 53 in 2025. That places Sri Lanka 77th in the world by number of listed scientists, up 1 place. University of Sri Jayewardenepura has the most listed scientists (9), followed by University of Colombo (7).

Single Year

+15 (+28.3%) vs 2025

Career Data

+6 (+18.2%) vs 2025

World rank by count

#77

up 1 place vs 2025

Institutes

+7 (+38.9%) vs 2025

Scientists in Sri Lanka on the list, by year

The single-year count has more than tripled since 2020.

Single-year list, change on the previous year

2021+60.0%

2022+33.3%

2023+31.2%

2024+2.4%

2025+23.3%

2026+28.3%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	15		15
2021	24	+60.0%	18	+20.0%
2022	32	+33.3%	21	+16.7%
2023	42	+31.2%	24	+14.3%
2024	43	+2.4%	25	+4.2%
2025	53	+23.3%	33	+32.0%
2026	68	+28.3%	39	+18.2%

Top 10 institutes in Sri Lanka

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2026

Show the list

All 68 scientists

Single-year list2026

Showing the 2026 single-year list. Looking for career rankings? See the career-long list

Everyone on the list, free to browse.

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Rank in Sri Lanka	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	6,762	VM Vithanage, Meththika Suharshini	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Environmental Sciences	Rank 143
2	8,623	HD Headey, Derek D.	International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)	Agricultural Economics & Policy	Rank 12
3	19,968	Sathiparan, Navaratnarajah	University of Jaffna	Building & Construction	Rank 162
4	35,718	TC Thambiliyagodage, Charitha J.	Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology	Environmental Sciences	Rank 773
5	39,619	RP Ranasinghe, Priyanga Diloshini	University of Colombo Faculty of Medicine	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 586
6	40,962	JR Jayawardena, Ranil	University of Colombo	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 606
7	54,928	RS Rajapakse, Senaka	University of Colombo	Tropical Medicine	Rank 48
8	61,605	Meedeniya, Dulani A.	University of Moratuwa	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 2,884
9	61,645	RA Rajapaksha, Anushka Upamali	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Environmental Sciences	Rank 1,382
10	68,121	VD Vanham, Davy	International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Colombo	Environmental Engineering	Rank 391
11	79,229	MS Mettananda, Sachith Gopeetha	University of Kelaniya	Pediatrics	Rank 197
12	80,441	HM Huffman, Michael A.	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology	Rank 121
13	83,688	Gunarathne, Nuwan	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Business & Management	Rank 1,918
14	85,543	Chandrasekara, Anoma	Wayamba University of Sri Lanka	Food Science	Rank 1,128
15	95,114	SV Smakhtin, Vladimir U.	International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Colombo	Environmental Engineering	Rank 527
16	98,678	MT Mathanaranjan, Thilagarajah	University of Jaffna	General Physics	Rank 581
17	110,371	TJ Thamboo, Julian Ajith	South Eastern University of Sri Lanka	Building & Construction	Rank 1,044
18	114,627	KS Kularatne, Senanayake Abeysinghe Mudiyanselage	Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 1,547
19	116,885	DP Dissanayake, Pavani Dulanja	University of Peradeniya	Environmental Sciences	Rank 2,719
20	118,857	AA Anburuvel, A.	University of Jaffna	Building & Construction	Rank 1,122
21	121,862	WN Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Darshana	Rajarata University of Sri Lanka	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 1,650
22	127,130	Ediriweera, Meran Keshawa	University of Colombo	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 517
23	136,363	Wijesekara, Isuru	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Food Science	Rank 2,006
24	137,402	KD Karunasingha, Dulakshi Santhusitha Kumari	University of Peradeniya	Environmental Engineering	Rank 814
25	139,799	EJ Ekanayake, Janaka Bandara	University of Peradeniya	Energy	Rank 4,410
26	146,151	TK Thambugala, Kasun M.	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Mycology & Parasitology	Rank 208
27	153,281	SS Seneweera, Saman P.	Faculty of Agriculture University of Ruhuna	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 2,654
28	154,051	Sanjeewa, K. K.Asanka	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 670
29	170,065	HM Hanjra, Munir A.	International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Colombo	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,313
30	172,353	WK Weerakoon, Koasala Gayan A.D.	Rajarata University of Sri Lanka	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 2,226
31	174,030	RR Rajapakse, R. K.N.D.	Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 1,667
32	175,328	MG Malavige, Gathsauri Neelika	University of Sri Jayawardenapure	Immunology	Rank 2,886
33	178,443	DS Dharmaratne, Samath Dhamminda	Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 2,296
34	198,558	TN Thilakarathne, Navod Neranjan	University of Colombo	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 8,940
35	200,405	AE Abeyrathne, Edirisinghe Dewage Nalaka Sandun	Uva Wellassa University	Dairy & Animal Science	Rank 584
36	201,129	RR Ramasamy, Ranjan	University of Jaffna	Tropical Medicine	Rank 267
37	204,266	SB Silva, Bhagya Nathali	Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 2,506
38	205,598	DS de Silva, Keshara Manindri Nalin	University of Colombo	Organic Chemistry	Rank 2,671
39	213,961	DP Drechsel, Pay	International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Colombo	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 1,685
40	223,102	UD Udayanga, Dhanushka	Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology	Mycology & Parasitology	Rank 314
41	229,560	RA Ratnayake, Amila Sandaruwan	Uva Wellassa University	Geochemistry & Geophysics	Rank 2,879
42	231,645	EI Ekanayake, Imesh Udara	Ceylon Institute for Artificial Intelligence Research (CIAIR)	Materials	Rank 6,071
43	232,070	JU Jayarajah, Umesh Umesh	University of Colombo Faculty of Medicine	Surgery	Rank 1,109
44	256,209	DS de Silva, Hithanadura Janaka	University of Kelaniya	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 3,157
45	257,696	JS Jayasinghe, Saroj A.	University of Colombo Faculty of Medicine	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 3,170
46	276,929	KA Kasturiratne, Anuradhani	University of Kelaniya	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 3,361
47	282,009	WD Wickramasinghe, Dakshitha Praneeth	University of Colombo	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 3,416
48	297,641	RS Rajindrajith, Shaman	Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 2,728
49	297,713	JD Jayasena, Dinesh D.	Uva Wellassa University	Dairy & Animal Science	Rank 973
50	338,122	TK Tennakone, Kirthi	National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka	Applied Physics	Rank 6,399
51	348,010	AT Ariyadasa, Thilini U.	University of Moratuwa	Biotechnology	Rank 1,741
52	363,045	SD Subramaniam, Daniel N.	University of Jaffna	Logistics & Transportation	Rank 1,402
53	366,661	MD Manamgoda, Dimuthu S.	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Mycology & Parasitology	Rank 518
54	367,330	DH Dharmaratne, H. Ranjith W.	National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 1,994
55	383,567	MK Mendis, Kamini N.	University of Colombo Faculty of Medicine	Tropical Medicine	Rank 554
56	407,851	EA Ekanayaka, Anusha Hasini	University of Sri Jayewardenepura	Mycology & Parasitology	Rank 582
57	452,850	KN Karunaweera, Nadira Darshani	University of Colombo	Tropical Medicine	Rank 667
58	498,229	RD Rathish, Devarajan	Rajarata University of Sri Lanka	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 5,655
59	499,548	GN Gunathilaka, Nayana	University of Kelaniya	Tropical Medicine	Rank 745
60	509,199	PR Perera, Rekhani Hansika	Zest Lanka International (Private) Limited	Mycology & Parasitology	Rank 752
61	533,164	WA Wickramasinghe, Ananda Rajitha	University of Kelaniya	Tropical Medicine	Rank 799
62	574,301	MA Medagama, Arjuna B.	Teaching Hospital	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 6,446
63	574,979	BS Benjamin, Suresh P.	National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka	Zoology	Rank 314
64	580,108	WK Wickramage, Kolitha Prabhash	Health Sciences	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 6,504
65	583,067	AS Alahakoon, Sampath B.	University of Peradeniya	General Chemistry	Rank 1,126
66	585,703	DS de Silva, Hithanadura Asita	University of Kelaniya	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 6,556
67	646,298	KK Karunadasa, Kohobhange S.P.	Industrial Technology Institute Colombo	General Chemistry	Rank 1,248
68	893,325	WP Wijesekara, Patikiri Arachchige Don Shehan Nilmantha	University of Ruhuna	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 11,808
No scientists match this filter on the single-year list. Try the career-long list

Showing 1 to 68 of 68 Show

Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2026

Bulgaria80 scientists

Philippines74 scientists

Kazakhstan73 scientists

Iceland63 scientists

Palestine, State of50 scientists

Puerto Rico46 scientists

Explore other countries

Single-year list2026

India6,953 scientists

Iran2,678 scientists

Pakistan1,034 scientists

Bangladesh347 scientists

Nepal31 scientists

China37,203 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Sri Lanka are in the 2026 Stanford Top 2% list?

68 scientists affiliated with Sri Lanka are on the 2026 single-year list, and 39 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Sri Lanka has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2026 single-year list, University of Sri Jayewardenepura has the most listed scientists from Sri Lanka, with 9. It is followed by University of Colombo with 7.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Sri Lanka changed since 2020?

On the single-year list, Sri Lanka went from 15 scientists in 2020 to 68 in 2026, a change of +353.3%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.