Bibliometric characteristics of highly cited publications from the Indian Journal of Medical Research

Background and objectives Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR), established in 1913, is a cornerstone of Indian biomedical scholarship. This bibliometric study evaluated the highly cited publications (HCPs; ≥100 citations) to describe their profiles (themes and institutions). Methods From 14,834 Scopus-indexed records (1945–2024), 187 HCPs (1957–2022) were analysed using MS Excel and VOSviewer for citation trends, co-authorship networks (country, organisation, author), co-word analysis, and subject mapping across domains. Metrics included total citations (TC), citations per paper (CPP), and total link strength (TLS). Results Highly cited publications amassed 33,830 citations (average CPP: 180.9), with a predominance of review articles (58.3%; CPP: 197.6). Temporal peaks occurred in 2004–2015, stabilising post-2016. Communicable diseases led thematically ( e.g ., bacterial infections: 33 papers, 5,478 TC; virology: 23 papers, 3,432 TC), followed by non-communicable foci like diabetes (21 papers). India dominated (148 papers; >70%), with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-New Delhi (23 papers; CPP: 181.5) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (15 papers; CPP: 216.7) as hubs in a 12-cluster network (472 links; TLS: 447). International collaborations were limited (12.8%; CPP: 155.1), and so were external (national and international) funding (5.9%). Author networks emerging from the HCPS (5 clusters; 165 links; TLS: 170) centered on ICMR–AIIMS synergies; keywords clustered around metabolic (‘diabetes mellitus’: 17 occurrences) and infectious motifs. Interpretation and conclusions The findings of this analysis suggests that the IJMR reflects India’s strengths in biomedical research, with a focus on review-based research and topics addressing the country’s disease burden thus far. However, stronger national and international collaborations, along with improved research funding, are needed to enhance the global impact of its published research.