Botany

About Botany Department

The Department of Botany was established in the year 1959 under the Stewardship of Founder Prof. I. Madhusudhan Rao with a regular Post Graduate program. Subsequently, with the able leadership of Prof. V. S. Rama Das, the Department was recognized as a strong centre for Plant Physiology both at National and International levels, and became one of the International centres for photosynthesis research under UNEP program. At present 04 Professors, 01 Associate Professor and 01 Assistant Professor with 10 supporting staff are working. So far, 2200 M.Sc., 219 Ph.D., and 225 M. Phil., Degrees were awarded by the Department and published nearly 2000 research papers in reputed National and International journals including Nature journal.

The department has received special assistant grant from UGC-COSIST, SAP (DRS) and DST-FIST Faculty members of the department have received research projects funded by UGC, DBT, DST, CSIR, MOEF and ICMR etc., and various awards including best teacher awards. The academic and research activities are supported by well equipped labs and facilities. The Department is equipped with Fluorescence and phase contrast microscope, Leaf Chamber Analyser-3 Photosynthesis Measuring System, U.V. Visible Spectrophotometers, Gel Documentation System, PCR Machines, High Speed Centrifuge, Deep Freezers etc., The facilities include Herbarium, Library, Museum, two botanical gardens, glasshouse, fern house, two tissue culture labs, computer lab and seminar hall.

The Department has MoU with St. Laurent Institute, The George Washington University, USA (2008-2018); Yunnan Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China (2010-2020); University of of Malaysia, Kelantan, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka (2012-2022). The department has been carrying collaborative research work with Indian Institute of Science, UAS (GKVK), Bangalore, ICRISAT, IICT, CCMB, Hyderabad, and BIOTRIM, A.P. Forest Department, and also collaborating with NGOs (WORD & SHE).

The Department has organized several Refresher Courses, summer and winter school programmes and National Science Academies lectures, International and National Conferences/Seminars/workshops/webinars. Very often the department also invites eminent scientists for delivering talks on advanced areas of plant sciences through offline and webcasting, and periodically organizing Workshops on Mushroom cultivation, Hydroponics and Composting technologies for the development of entrepreneurial skills. The alumni were placed at various respectable positions in academic and scientific institutions and administration all over the globe and few became entrepreneurs.

The current focus of research includes Molecular Plant Physiology, Biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization, Plant Biotechnology, Molecular Plant Pathology, Phytomedicine Reproductive Biology and development of plant based Nanomaterials for medical and agricultural applications.

Faculty Details

S.No.	Name	Designation
1.	Dr. N. Savithramma	Professor & Dean Faculty of Sciences
2.	Dr. T. Vijaya	Professor
3.	Dr. J.S.R. Murthy	Professor & Head
4.	Dr. M. Nagalakshmi Devamma	Associate Professor
5.	Dr. J. Kamakshamma	Assistant Professor

Vision

• To improve Internationally recognized status of the Department through excellence in higher education and application-oriented basic research in the field of plant science
• To perceive and disseminate the importance of plant diversity, its conservation and sustainable utilization.
• To inspire intellectual pursuit and experimental skills through innovative teaching and research in basic processes of Plant life.

Mission

• Development of advanced infrastructural and technological facilities to strengthen quality education and research,
• To promote and foster collaborative research with scientific institutes and industry for enhanced scientific thinking and generating new ideas.
• To expand academic activity by offering new multidisciplinary courses and updating programs to suit to a wider spectrum of students and researchers.