Mapping Indian Knowledge System Research: An Altmetric Analysis

This study investigates the academic landscape surrounding the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) from 2010 to 2024, focusing on publication trends, citation metrics, altmetric attention and readership patterns. Using OpenAlex database, 5,111 articles were retrieved based on the keyword "Indian Knowledge System" and the data was analyzed through Biblioshiny and MS Excel. Altmetric scores and Mendeley readership data were captured using the Altmetric Bookmarklet. For altmetric study, 4130 articles with a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), were retained for analysis. Results show a steady increase in IKS-related publications, particularly from 2020, with a peak in 2023. Citation patterns demonstrate a strong academic focus, with the United States leading in total citations, followed by India, which has a high volume of publications but lower citations per article. In terms of altmetric attention, articles exhibited a gradual increase in engagement, with Mendeley readership and Twitter mentions peaking in 2020. However, the proportion of articles receiving altmetric attention has decreased since 2019. The correlation between Altmetric Attention Scores (AAS) and citation scores (0.86) suggests that articles with higher online engagement tend to receive more academic citations. Mendeley readers showed significant engagement, with 78.16% of articles bookmarked by readers, highlighting growing academic interest. Further analysis reveals that advanced academic users, such as PhD scholars, show higher engagement with IKS research, with a positive relationship between readership and citation impact. Overall, this study provides insights into the growing recognition of the Indian Knowledge System within both academic and public domains, highlighting its interdisciplinary relevance and increasing visibility in scholarly discourse.