With an h-index of 75, computer scientist Thippa Reddy Gadekallu ranks among the world’s most highly cited researchers. But the speed and means of his ascent to those lofty heights of scholarship has been as remarkable as the achievement itself.

Earlier work uncovered a network of reviewers on papers Gadekallu edited who frequently suggested adding citations to his work. A closer look by Retraction Watch shows the impact of that strategy on Gadekallu’s h-index, and reveals additional possible collaborators in the network.

David Robert Grimes, a Retraction Watch Sleuth in Residence, examined the citation records of Gadekallu and his closest collaborators, and found that, in 2019, Gadekallu’s h-index jumped 17 points, from 10 to 27. The following year, it jumped 23 points, and then 19.

Source https://retractionwatch.com/2026/05/27/h-index-citation-networks-retractions-special-issues/

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