P.G. and Research Department of Botany  (Day College)

An Introduction

This Department had a humble beginning, as part of the Natural Science Department, from the very inception of the College in 1946. It offered an Intermediate course initially. In the year 1951-52 a 2-year B.Sc. Botany course was introduced. With this, the staff strength increased from 2 to 3 (one Professor, one Lecturer and one Demonstrator). During 1957-58, a 3-year B.Sc. Degree course in Botany with Zoology as ancillary subject was offered. In 1969-70, the Department was shifted to the new and the present Life Sciences Block which was built with a partial grant from the U.G.C.

In 1971-72 the Natural Science Department was bifurcated to full fledged Botany and Zoology Departments. The staff strength of Botany Department increased from 3 to 5. As a result of the enthusiasm shown by the teachers, M.Sc. Botany course was introduced in 1976-77. The Postgraduate Department was headed by Dr.S.Venugopalan, a specialist in cytogenetics with the able assistance of 5 staff members. Now the Department has a strength of 10 teaching staff, 137 U.G. and P.G. students, 4 M.Phil. students, 8 Ph.D. research scholars and 3 non-teaching staff.

This Department obtained affiliation to conduct M.Phil. courses in cytogenetics and mycology in 1979. In 1980 it was recognized as a Research Department to carry out research in the fields of cytogenetics and mycology. Later in 1999, the Department was recognized to conduct research in all fields of Botany. It has so far produced 60 M.Phil. and 12 Ph.D. degree holders.

Currently M.Phil. and Ph.D. research programmes in Mycology and Algology are being conducted. Teaching and research programmes of this Department have been recognized both at the National and International levels. Ever since 1980 more than 150 research papers have been published in outstanding National and International scientific journals. Several funding agencies including the CSIR, DST, MOEF and World Bank, and the DBT have funded Mycology research to the tune of Rs.1 crore 92 thousands. The UGC has funded 2 minor projects, one in Mycology and another in Algology. The Department’s contribution to research is well recognized and is reflected by the fact that students from this Department gained entry into International laboratories (Hong Kong, Illinois, Pittsburgh, Washington, Ohio, Manitoba, Colorado, Zurich and Cambridge). The major research grants given to this Department enabled it to get PG Grant from the UGC thrice during the last 20 years. Some of the research publications of this Department have been peer reviewed by leading scientists from Switzerland, UK, USA, France and Hong Kong. Scientists from USA and Canada have visited our Mycology laboratory, which has research collaboration with International, and National laboratories. Institutes including IIT Madras, IISC Bangalore, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, University of New York, University of New Brinswick, Canada, University of Muenster and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Germany.

The staff members of this Department function as board members in Examination and Syllabus committees of the Madras and other Universities as well as in some autonomous colleges, as Editorial board member for research journals, as advisor for Central Government’s Initiative to study microbial diversity of the country, as experts for screening research proposals, as examiners and doctoral committee members for Ph.D. students of various autonomous colleges and Universities, as well as in the University of Muenster, Germany and the University of New Brinswick, Canada.

Over the years, the students of the Department have performed exceptionally well in their exams and research. The Department has a Botany Association for the students, which exposes the students to modern concepts by inviting speakers and also conducts inter – class competitions in plant science.

In the year 2000, the staff of this Department designed a new syllabus called Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology with emphasis on modern development in plant science. The University of Madras adopted this syllabus for the undergraduate students. This had a good response from the students.

From the year 2002, a new application oriented paper called Algal Biotechnology has been introduced for the Post Graduate students.

These rapid developments in the Department have increased the confidence of the students as they feel proud to be a part of this Department that has International and National recognition.

The Future­:- The Department feels that in the rapid development taking place in the field of Biology, and with the constant up-gradation of the Department, it would attract the students at large to the courses it offers.