Shahada (Nandarpur District), MAHARASHTRA :
The professor, who studied at a Urdu-medium school and comes from a modest family, has built an international research profile, with hundreds of research papers, books and academic contributions.
New Delhi :
Prof Riyaz Zafar Syed, a microbiologist from Shahada in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar district, has secured second place globally among the top 1,000 scholars in a recent ranking, adding to his record of international recognition for research and academic contributions.
The ranking considers factors such as research output, citations, research impact and overall academic performance. Syed’s international standing extends beyond this latest recognition, as he has also been included in lists of highly cited researchers in previous years.
Syed’s academic journey began in a modest household. He studied at a municipal Urdu-medium school. His father worked as a truck driver, while his mother had received education only up to Class 7.
He went on to graduate from North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, in 1994, completed his master’s degree in 1996 and earned a PhD in microbiology in 2003. His doctoral research focused on plant-microbe interactions.
Syed is associated with the Arts, Science and Commerce College run by Poojya Sane Guruji Vidya Prasarak Mandal in Shahada, where he is involved in teaching and research and has held responsibilities related to the microbiology and biotechnology departments. Since 2024, he has also served as a professor at the University of Nizwa in Oman.
His research work has received recognition from international institutions. The University of Nizwa has reported that Elsevier included him among the world’s top 2 per cent most-cited researchers for three consecutive years. Clarivate has also ranked him among the top 1 per cent of highly cited researchers in a group of 8,866 researchers worldwide.
His academic work has taken him beyond India. He has attended international conferences in Southeast Asian and European countries, where he has presented his research as an invited speaker. He has served as a visiting scholar at INTI International University in Malaysia and maintained academic associations with the Academy of Sciences in Uzbekistan and the Bashan Science Foundation in the United States. He has also served as an expert consultant to Qassim University in Saudi Arabia.
Syed’s research covers microbiology, environmental microbiology, biotechnology, phytopathology, soil health, biofertilisers, plant-microbe interactions, sustainable agriculture and biological methods for reducing environmental pollution.
His published work includes more than 417 research papers, 36 books and 85 book chapters. Several of his books and research contributions have been published by international academic publishers, including Springer, Elsevier, Wiley and CRC Press, with publications appearing in countries across Europe, North America and Asia.
His ScienceDirect profile lists 337 research documents, 13,659 citations and an h-index of 57. His ResearchGate profile also contains hundreds of research contributions and citations.
Syed’s career, from an Urdu-medium school in a modest household to academic appointments and research recognition across several countries, reflects his long-standing involvement in scientific research and higher education.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick>India> Indian Muslims / by Mohammad Bin Ismail / October 28th, 2026