Introduction: The Journal of Pediatric Critical Care (JPCC), launched in 2014 by the Indian Academy of Pediatrics–Pediatric Intensive Care Chapter, is the first pediatric critical care journal from a low- and middle-income country (LMIC). Designed to nurture context-specific research and amplify LMIC scholarship, it has evolved into a key academic platform. We aimed to describe its 10-year growth, academic impact, and lessons for LMIC-driven publishing. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed JPCC’s publications from 2014–2024 using the journal’s archives and editorial database. Metrics included article type, geographic and institutional authorship, reviewer diversity, indexing status, submission trends, acceptance rates, and readership. Results: JPCC published 711 articles: 22% original research, 23% reviews, 27% case reports, and 28% other content (guidelines, editorials, updates). Submissions increased from 36 (2014) to 107 (2024), while acceptance rates declined from 95% to 46%, reflecting improved selectivity. Authors grew from 28 to 1,612, and the reviewer pool expanded to 151, including 46 international reviewers. Indian authors contributed 87% of articles, with increasing participation from 20+ countries, led by Pakistan, the UAE, and the U.S.. Maharashtra, New Delhi, and Karnataka were leading national contributors. Indexing milestones included DOAJ (2020) and Scopus (2024), alongside rising global readership (25,758 full-text users in 2024). Research from JPCC has informed national guidelines, quality improvement initiatives, and regional training programs. Conclusions: In its first decade, JPCC has evolved from a society newsletter to a Scopus-indexed journal with global readership, establishing a replicable model for LMIC-driven publishing. Its growth underscores the value of mentorship, inclusive editorial policies, and focus on context-relevant research. Future priorities include PubMed indexing, South-South collaborations, and expanded digital engagement to strengthen its role in shaping pediatric critical care scholarship globally.
Bansal et al. (Sun,) studied this question.