How does it feel to be the Editor-in-Chief of the official journal of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, an organ whose voice echoes in more than 16,000 intellectual minds month after month; an institution which has the capacity to influence the practice and policy of those concerned with child health in India; a tree sowed in 1964 and nurtured to the present status by 10 illustrious pediatricians (editors) since its inception.

Well, I am excited as well as anxious while assuming charge. Excited, because of the obvious reasons stated above; and apprehensive, because of the onerous responsibilities that I face ahead. I understand the enormity of the task. I take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts that I need to put in action, for the benefit of the authors, readers and the Journal.

Authors

The journal has a clear policy for the potential authors, outlined in the ‘Information for Authors’ being published in this issue. It will be our endeavor to keep it updated and explicit. Timely disposition of the manuscript is one of the main concerns of the authors. We shall strive to reduce further the time from submission to decision. Peer-review process will be strengthened and international experts will be invited to our reviewer database. To improve the quality of manuscript, Editorial board will crystallize the directions for revision, in addition to the reviewers’ comments. We hope that this will also reduce the number of revisions (a painstaking process) required by authors. Indian Pediatrics will maintain the integrity and confidentiality of all submitted papers, while these are being evaluated. We shall stand by our decisions, giving appropriate reasons; this does not imply that we will not be willing to reconsider them. We shall maintain the masked fashion of peer review and also initiate research to improve it. Ultimately, the journal aims to ease out the manuscript handling system by going online on manuscript submission and tracking in near future.

Original research has been the main strength of Indian Pediatrics; we aim to publish more of them. We shall continue with at least one state of the art review article and invited editorial every month. Case reports of significance to the practicing pediatrician will be preferred. To complete the academic feast, we shall have papad, chutney and achar. From this month we are starting two new columns, i.e., ‘Focus’ (it will carry the critical commentary and analysis of the current research, the international health reports, and the topical issues of pediatric and public health importance in India) and ‘From the Cochrane Collection’ (material relevant to general pediatric interest from the Cochrane Library with critical and analytical input into its implications for practice/policy). Clippings, News, and Readers’ forum are popular, so they will continue. We also plan to have material for the postgraduates in near future. We also urge the readers to contribute actively to the controversies and debates on topical issues.

Indian Pediatrics has been selected for coverage in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine and the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), starting from the January 2005, and we will receive our first Impact Factor in mid 2008. This will help us to know where we stand, and where we go from here. The aims are to be the best in India; and among the best pediatrics journals, worldwide. We plan to apply the emerging strategies of scientific communication to increase the visibility and readership of Indian Pediatrics; and expand international authorship and collaboration. We also intend to disseminate the recent developments in scientific publication to readers of our journal as well as the editors of other Indian journals. The Editors will maintain the editorial independence and will not let the personal, financial, or other relationships affect their decisions.

The space is limited and no one other than the editor has to be its first victim; so I bring this piece to close. I shall eagerly await your comments and suggestions for furthering Indian Pediatrics, and for making this experience rewarding and productive. Notwithstanding the financial constraints of a non-profit journal, we together shall try to achieve and deliver the "best" of art and science suited to a scientific publication. I devote my tenure to the Academy (IAP) and the esteemed readers of Indian Pediatrics.

Piyush Gupta,
Editor-in-Chief, Indian Pediatrics; and
Professor of Pediatrics,
University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital,
New Delhi 110 095, India.
E-mail: [email protected]