I was appointed Editor of Indian Pediatrics in 1985 by the IAP Executive Board. Before that too, I was closely involved with the scientific aspects of the Journal when Dr SK Bhargava took over as the Editor. He found an excellent, dependable publishing house, Cambridge Press, who have printed the Journal and several other publications for us for over 40 years. The regularity of publication of the Journal has been most remarkable.

I had a strong supporting team constituting the Journal Committee. We focused on the quality of the journal, selecting the articles for publication strictly based on their scientific merit. Preparation of manuscripts according to Vancouver style (rather than "free style", which required great deal of editing) was insisted upon. Our readers were exhorted to submit their outstanding wok to the Journal, which alone would enhance its quality. The contents as well as their presentation were closely scrutinized [1].

The major constraints were financial. The earnings from advertisements were insufficient and moreover, we had to be selective in accepting these. It was, however, emphasized that information about any product should not be regarded as its promotion.

In 1985 the Journal brought out a supplement "Emergencies in Pediatrics", which was sold by us directly with all profits going to the Journal [2]. Subsequently, a book entitled "Pediatric and Neonatal Emergencies" was published by our own publishers and again profits from its sale were used towards journal expenses [3].

The Journal celebrated its silver jubilee in 1988. A special number was printed, which included a few Abstracts of outstanding articles published earlier in the Journal [4]. The IAP membership (to whom the Journal was being sent as part of their lifetime subscription) had reached 4200!

The Journal had been housed in the departmental offices of the Editor. Limitation of physical facilities had created increasing hardship. Although makeshift arrangements were eventually made, there remained an urgent need for adequate premises that must include a library and seminar rooms.

I have observed with great satisfaction the progress made by the Journal over the past years. The excellent standard of the contents and its educative value are widely acknowledged, and it has truly become an international publication. Its free online access is widely utilized and has been very beneficial to readers from countries with limited resources. The indexing and impact factor have increased. The physical qualities of the publication (quality of paper, reproduction of figures, overall attractiveness) are much better.

I wish Indian Pediatrics continued growth and all round excellence.

1. Srivastava RN. Literature pollution. Indian Pediatr. 1985; 22: 331-332

2. Srivastava RN, Manmohan, Sachdev HPS, Puri RK. Emergencies in Pediatrics. Indian Pediatr. 1986; S;23.

3. Srivastava RN, Manmohan, Sachdev HPS, Puri RK. Pediatric and Neonatal Emergencies. New Delhi: Cambridge Press; 1991.

4. Srivastava RN. 25th year of Indian Pediatr. Indian Pediatr. 1988; 25: 3-4.