CHAPTER XX EDITORIAL SERVICE

Chapter XX

Editorial Service

            After completing thesis for my MD, I went to attend the conference of the Neurological Society of India (NSI), at Varanasi during December 18-20, 1984. Since the publication of the Neurology India had been transferred from Calcutta to Madras, Dr. S. Kalyanraman wanted to be relieved from the publication of the Continuing Medical Education Book of the NSI. Members asked Dr. K. K. Sinha to take over assuming that he had an infrastructure of The Physician India, which was then managed by Dr. V. K. Sinha. Dr. K. K. Sinha enquired from me whether I would be available for the CME book after my MD examination and I gave my consent.

            Dr. K. K. Sinha started correspondence the world over, changing the old pattern of the CME book and entitled it, Progress in Clinical Neurosciences (PCN). He had been informing me about the progress of work when I was in the final stage of my MD classes. Due to certain domestic and personal problems, Dr. V. K. Sinha withdrew from the editorial work of The Physician India and it prompted Dr. K. K. Sinha to send me an urgent call for coming to Ranchi. He suggested to me to prepare for my examination at Ranchi itself and also wrote that my work would be paid for.

            The urgency in his letter was evident and equally important for me was to be able to financially support Birendra for pursuing his post-graduation at Ranchi. I was also mentally tense at Darbhanga (on being virtually eased out of the NMO). So I took a decision to skip Darbhanga at the peak of my preparations for the MD examination and I reached Ranchi on 2nd June 1985.

            In the meantime, Dr. V. K. Sinha had resumed his editorial work and so I was assigned only Progress In Clinical Neurosciences. During 3-6 p.m., I used to edit the articles, which poured in from the world over, and in the rest of the time, I used to study for my MD examination. By mid-August, I had completed the maximum part of editing and my studies for the MD examination.

             Dr. K. K. Sinha was also to leave for Hamburg, for the World Conference of Neurology. I left Ranchi for Darbhanga on 15th August for my MD examination and returned after it was over. In the meantime, Dr. Prakash Chandra looked over the proofs, etc.  Age-wise he was senior to me and he took over the work fully when I had to leave it finally in 1987 due to the pressing work of the rejuvenated NMO, my hospital duties and my DCH examination.

            I had the skill of editing, largely on account of the Aayurvigyan Pragati for which I had been working since April 1982 anonymously as per the sound traditions of the NMO. The experience was further refined by the work of the PCN. Probably at that time it was the best medical publication from India and it received global appreciation.

            I had occasion to edit Dr. Earl Walker’s (of Dandy-Walker syndrome) article also. The articles were from all-important countries of the world. I found how Japanese revered our country, being the country of their life-light, Lord Buddha.

            I got much appreciation for the work. Dr. J. S. Brown, an authority on aphasia from New York, had sent his article and was worried over the editing and or printing and wanted the final proofs to be checked by him. It was sent to him. I had changed his   reference style from traditional to modern Vancouver style and I could also find that a particular reference was not quoted in the text and so I deleted it. Dr. Brown returned the proofs without any correction and had even asked from our press for quotations for printing his books. Strangely, our press refused due to overwork.

            I learnt much from its editor Dr. Sinha. Dr. Prakash Chandra and I were assistant editors and later on, associate editors of PCN. I learnt even from the works manager of the Catholic Press, Ranchi, who was also the chief proof- reader. When Prof. M. Gaurie-Devi, Director, NIMHANS, Bangalore had congratulated Dr. K. K. Sinha at Patna, after the book PCN was released, Dr. K.K. Sinha in his usual polite tone however, said that Dhanakar had learnt and done everything himself. But I told her that I actually learnt editing from Dr. B. N. Das Gupta who had also been a teacher of Dr. K. K. Sinha.

  

            I suggested to her to open a course of Diploma in Medical Journalism. She asked me whether I had done so. I said, “No”, “but I wish to do it.” She had only the previous day communicated for a course of Neuro-nursing at the NIMHANS. She had also invited me to join the NIMHANS which I had declined for the sake of the NMO work, then limited to Bihar* only.

            I was receiving Rs. 700 per month from Dr. K. K. Sinha, which was sufficient for me, and Birendra. Later on, when I joined, the CCL, Ranchi (on 30.11.1985), I worked for the 1986 volumes, honorary.  I also edited at least, half of the 1987 volumes but when I returned from Darbhanga after obtaining DCH, Dr. K. K. Sinha asked me to edit pending volumes of The Physician India as Dr. V. K. Sinha had left again. I edited its volumes form March 1986 anonymously. A note of thanks was moved for my work in the PCN in the 1987 volumes. Probably, Dr. Prakash Chandra had also felt that had I continued with PCN, it might have been difficult for him to be elevated to co-editor of PCN which he became later on as also I could not be a full member of the NSI since I did not have the requisite degree or recognisable experience in neurosciences.

            In 1986, once Dr. K. K. Sinha was angry with him and had asked me to bring all pending press materials from him but I did not as I thought he should be given chance to continue. Later Dr. Rajendra Jha also came to consult me about the benefits he would have from the editorial work of The Physician India. I suggested to him that such work should be done without thinking for any return. Dr. Prakash Chandra or Dr. Rajendra Jha might have initiated their contacts with Dr. K. K. Sinha for getting some cases or name or fame for stabilising in their practice but I worked only for the promotion of science and a social worker like me should be satisfied with the role of a positive catalyst.

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* Including Jharkhand.