Passing on the Torch

The vibrant Indian Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (ISVIR) newsletter has published significant scientific content in addition to social activities for many years. The idea of upgrading the newsletter to a journal was finalized during the annual conference of ISVIR in February 2016, held in Bengaluru, India. An editorial team was formed for the various sections of interventional radiology (IR), and eminent advisors were chosen worldwide. Several brainstorming sessions helped determine the journal's name, the content we wished to publish, the publishing frequency, and the target readers. We aimed to promote original research and keep the highest ethics. Thieme publishers analyzed the potential for an additional IR journal, and their observations were very encouraging. They provided us with the best platforms for peer review and to maintain international standards. There was unanimity in keeping the journal open-access and eco-friendly. Finally, the first issue was published in 2017.[1]

During every annual conference of the ISVIR, we conducted dedicated workshops for the reviewers and writers. The resource faculty for such sessions included experts from other specialties too. We had several online training sessions as well. All the issues of the Journal of Clinical Interventional Radiology (JCIR) have been published on time during the last 7 years. During the initial phase, we had to reach out and request authors for manuscripts. We soon started receiving many manuscripts from different corners of the world. We encouraged authors with different suggestions when the content was good, but the presentation was not up to the mark. The reviewers contributed their best to keep the turnaround time to a minimum. E-first was practised from the beginning to get the optimal benefit to the authors and the readers. We have incorporated certain changes from time to time based on the need and the feedback from readers and authors. We introduced “cases series” as a manuscript based on the National Medical Council regulation for faculty promotion. Adding dual first authorship is another example. There were editorials representing IR in every issue of the journal. The leaders have highlighted some of the important activities of ISVIR and interaction with other IR societies. The total number of pages increased over time, and we now receive more manuscripts than we can publish. As expected, the citations are increasing. There were regular updates from the publishers regarding the journal's performance. A few indexing bodies have recognized the journal.[2]

The ISVIR leadership changed several times during this time as per the society constitution, and they all supported the JCIR wholeheartedly. Dr. Suyash Kulkarni, the secretary while starting the journal and the president of the ISVIR till the recent past, says, “The journal is one of the best activities of the society.” Working with Dr. Sanjeeva Kalva as our international editor was a blessing. I am indebted to Dr. Mathew Cherian who played the dual role of being an associate editor and a guide. Thanks and congratulations to Dr. Naveen Kalra who has been an associate editor during these years, who is taking over as the journal's new editor-in-chief. Contributions from every editorial member, advisor, and reviewer are honorary and valuable to us. It was a great opportunity to interact with many both as a mentee and as a mentor.

Some of us have witnessed the JCIR since the seed of the journal was sown. It has already grown as a tree and now provides shadow. As several members of the ISVIR mention, it created the scope for authors, reviewers, and readers. An initiation from India has successfully established its global presence. I am sure the JCIR will always play a major role in contributing to the pool of knowledge.

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

• References

• 1 https://lp.thieme.de/journals/journal-of-clinical-interventional-radiology-isvir/2456-4869
• 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journal_of_Clinical_Interventional_Radiology

Publication History

Article published online:
10 April 2024