Indian Journal of Dermatology (IJD®) Gets its First Impact Factor of 1.069.

I am tempted to start this editorial in a way almost similar to that published in May-June issue of 2016.

Just when we were preparing the July-August issue (Vol. 62, Issue 4) of 2017, we received the news of annual release of the 2016 Journal Citation Reports. The first Journal Impact Factor® (IF) as reported in the 2016 Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate Analytics, 2017) is 1.069 [Figure 1].

Figure 1

Thomson Reuters’ notification mentioning impact factor of Indian Journal of Dermatology

A journal IF (JIF) of more than one is always creditable and our IJD® has started from above that coveted benchmark!

This certainly is a dream came true for all of us here who are closely attached with this heritage journal on a daily basis.

Personally, this is literally the icing on the cake of my tenure as the editor of this heritage journal.

As we know the IF or JIF of an academic journal is a measure reflecting the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in that journal. It is frequently used as a proxy for the relative importance of a journal within its field; journals with higher IFs are often deemed to be more important than those with lower ones. The IF was devised in 1955 by Eugene Garfield, the founder of the Institute for Scientific Information.[1] IFs are calculated yearly starting from 1975 for those journals that are listed in the Journal Citation Reports.

As per information received from the publisher, only 31 Wolters Kluwer Medknow journals from all over the globe have received the JIF 2016.

Only nine journals from India have JIF more than one.

Indian Journal of Dermatology has not only included itself in that select list but also has established itself among the top nine journals from India in the first attempt.

This is indeed a great leap forward and certainly an exemplary achievement of any biomedical journal by any standard.

The following is the list of Indian journals (20) receiving the Journal IFs:.

Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology

Neurology India

Indian Journal of Medical Research

National Medical Journal of India

Journal of Minimal Access Surgery

Journal of Vector Borne Diseases

Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology

Indian Journal of Dermatology

Pharmacognosy Magazine

Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology

Journal of Postgraduate Medicine

Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

Indian Journal of Psychiatry

Conservation and Society

Indian Journal of Orthopaedics

Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics

Indian Journal of Pharmacology

Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology

Indian Journal of Cancer

Journal of Cytology.

The distinctiveness of this heritage journal lies in the fact that whereas a scientific journal (not only in dermatology but also in the entire field of biomedical journals) published by a state branch of a society could not only consistently be published for such a long time (more than six decades) but also stands out by securing a distinguished position among prominent, indexed journals. If we consider the checkered history of the journal, we may appreciate the colossal significance of this achievement.

To cut a long story short, it may be mentioned that IJD® was the first indexed dermatology journal in the whole of Asia. The journal got indexed with the Index Medicus (Vol. 8, No. 1, October–December 1962).[2]

After about three decades, it got de-indexed in 1990 for various reasons. It experienced a lean phase during the next decade and half. Even during those tough and trying times, the custodians of the journal did not lose heart and showed great amount of stamina to tide over that period.

In the new millennium, the journal bounced back and was re-indexed with PubMed Central on October 30, 2009, with effect from issues of 2008.[3]

SCIe indexing was the next level huge milestone that this heritage journal touched last year.[4]

Getting a JIF was only the logical conclusion of this dream run for the past 12 years. But, achieving an IF of more than one in the first attempt is a remarkable accomplishment.

In this context, it would not be out of place to recall that, though IJDVL received its first IF in 2009,[5] it took another 4 years for them to cross the yardstick of one JIF in 2012.[6] However, it was a gratifying moment for all of us in the Editorial Board when IJD® could clear it on the first attempt itself. This in itself is a very momentous, inspiring, and humbling experience which will inspire the journal to scale further heights.

These achievements would never have been possible without the constant encouragement and positive criticisms from thousands of our avid readers, authors, and well-wishers all over the world; the commitment of highly erudite, focused, and committed editorial board members; the alertness of strict yet sensitive and responsive reviewers; principled and proficient publishers; distinguished members of the editorial advisory board; and extremely supportive executive committee of IADVL, West Bengal State Branch, and Asian Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

We must also reverentially remember the firm resolve, persistence, tenacity, devotion, determination, and grit of many foot soldiers and lieutenants in the team of IJD® over the last couple of decades.

I sincerely acknowledge the contribution of each one of them.

I pay my respects to all my predecessors due to whose tenacity and devotion we have been able to see this bright and beautiful dawn in our glorious history.

Long live the Indian Journal of Dermatology (IJD®).