Honoring Two Former Presidents of BISMiS: Prof. Iain C. Sutcliffe and Dr. Kamlesh Jangid

The publication of this edition of the Bulletin of BISMiS marks a long-overdue reconnection with our community after a pause since December 2018. In that time, the world, and our field, underwent a profound transformation. The CoViD-19 pandemic disrupted traditional modes of academic exchange but also catalyzed innovation in how scientific societies engage globally. It was during this pivotal period that Prof. Iain C. Sutcliffe and Dr. Kamlesh Jangid led BISMiS and provided thoughtful, forward-looking leadership that helped BISMiS adapt and thrive. During his presidency (2018–2020) Prof. Sutcliffe built on the work of Prof Martha Trujillo, fostering openness to new ideas, promoting thoughtful discourse on nomenclature and systematics, and strengthening the society’s interface with the broader taxonomic community and shaping its values. Succeeding him, Dr. Jangid with his vision, resilience, and purpose, expanded society’s global reach through initiatives such as BISMiS Live, which created a vibrant platform for global engagement offering unprecedented opportunities for virtual collaboration and learning. Together, their contributions represent not only individual excellence but also a shared commitment to making microbial systematics more inclusive, accessible, and responsive to global scientific needs. Their profiles in this issue are a tribute to that legacy, one that positioned BISMiS as a dynamic, inclusive, and globally connected society for microbial systematics.