At the very onset, I profusely thank all of you for making the journey to take Indian Journal of Microbiology (INJM) from a hard copy format to an online platform of international standards that has disseminate the contents to a global audience. The INJM along with support from Springer has been making rapid and consistent progress during the last few years.

During my tenure as the Editor-in-Chief of this journal, I have seen a number of crests and troughs in this journey. We have been very successful in making it reach heights of acceptance and success. I believe this journal can be further taken to greater heights.

Just like other years of performance, INJM has in fact performed outstandingly, especially in the past 3 years. All the articles which have been accepted for publication in subsequent issues of INJM are immediately put up online also. With our continued strategies to improve, we have been successful in streamlining the back log of the journal in 2011 with no articles being carried forward from the previous years. All this has been possible due to sincere and dedicated efforts of all the Editors and Reviewers associated with INJM. The journal is published quarterly, that started from Volume 47 of 2007 through Volume 52 of 2012.

Over the years we have received contributions from USA, Canada, Korea, Japan, China, Spain, Brazil, etc. The journal is subscribed by nearly 6500 Institutes and individuals.

The success of our efforts could be easily measured when ISI impact factor of 0.938 for INJM came out for the first time in 2010. The increase in number of submitted articles, wide range of geographical distribution of authors and the consistently increasing subscription to the journal gives us confidence and hope of achieving more heights in near future.

This year to date, we have received more than 750 articles. However, a decrease in its impact factor to 0.5 for 2011 is an alarming call that demands an immediate attention to develop better strategies for the growth of the journal with a special focus on the good quality of articles that are being published.

After having served AMI as the Editor-in-Chief of INJM for 5 years (January 2007–March 2013), it becomes my moral responsibility to ensure continuity of activities of INJM after 31st March 2013, when I will be taking charge of President, AMI. During the last 6 years, I have been interacting with my team of Editors. Among all of them, Dr. V.C. Kalia, Associate Editor has been the most instrumental team member in terms of supporting the activities of INJM. Through his dedicated and consistent efforts he has pre-screened around 1500 articles, reviewed (as Reviewer) and handled (as Editor) maximum number of articles. He has brought in quite a few new Editors in the team and brought out a special issue Volume 48 (2), 2008. His other contributions have been extending in providing solutions to intricate matters, interactions with Springer, promoting activities of INJM. Based on his contributions to AMI, INJM and excellent Academic record, he was unanimously nominated by all members of CC, AMI on 29th September, 2012 as the next Editor-in-Chief of INJM, w.e.f. 1st April 2013.

I thereby summarize that with the publication of INJM Volume 52 No. 4 of 2012, we will reach a status, which we can be proud of and hope to make INJM a pioneer in the field of Microbiology with our efforts and set an example for its readers for quality content.