Dr Saroj Kumar Aryal has been conferred with the prestigious “40 Under 40” Award by the President of Nepal, Rt. Hon. Ramchandra Poudel, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the study and development of the foreign policy of small states. The award honours 40 exceptional young professionals from Nepal whose achievements and engagement have made a significant impact across a wide range of fields.

Dr Aryal has established an impressive and rapidly growing academic profile, with extensive research and publications focusing on the Regional Security Complex of South Asia and the role of small states in International Relations. Remarkably, within only two years of completing his PhD, he has already achieved 28 Scopus-indexed publications and an h-index of 7, reflecting both the exceptional pace and the growing international visibility of his scholarly work.

This distinction is a well-deserved recognition of Dr Aryal’s academic excellence, dedication, and remarkable contribution to the field of International Relations. His achievements at such an early stage of his academic career are truly impressive and demonstrate the strength, relevance, and international impact of his research.

We extend our warmest and most heartfelt congratulations to Dr Saroj Kumar Aryal on this outstanding achievement. We are immensely proud to see his scholarly excellence and dedication recognised at such a distinguished level, and we wish him continued success, further prestigious accomplishments, and an even greater international impact in the years to come.