History of Department

Department of Botany came into existence in June 1987 with a view to prepare the students desirous of learning, understanding, teaching, and practicing various aspects of plant science. Undergraduate courses are offered at first and second-year students general streams with only Botany as a special subject in the third year. The department takes a conscious effort to expand its teaching program bringing together novel developments in the field of traditional areas of Botany through field excursions and projects. The department of botany has a separate well-equipped tissue culture laboratory. The department is enriched with learning resources such as charts, museum specimens, slides, models, herbarium, and modern facilities like computers and the internet which help the students in independent learning. The botanical excursions are organized in view to study the wild plant diversity, forest ecosystem and to inculcate the research knowledge to the students by visiting various universities. The department has undertaken research projects in the areas of plant physiology, plant pathology, and medicinal plant biology for which it has received funding from government funding agencies like UGC.  The faculty members have active collaborations with scientists from institutes in or outside India. Our vision is to maintain our position as the premier department of higher learning and research in Botany and to further commit ourselves to academic excellence.

Strength

• Dedicated and proactive students
• Strong research activities
• Linkages with NGO, academic, and research institutes
• Adequate infrastructure and well-equipped laboratories
• Well established Botanical garden
• Well-structured tissue culture laboratory
• Eminent alumni

Highlights

• Student presentations  and projects
• Major & minor research projects
• Various awards to faculties from national bodies
• Best paper presentation awards to faculty and students
• Editor or Reviewer to various national and international journals
• National Patent
• Gardens Club of Kolhapur awarded the “Special Appreciation Award” to Nakshatra Botanic Garden in December 2019.

Vision

• Impart basic and recent knowledge of different aspects in plant sciences.

• To inculcate botanical interest, scientific tempo, and consecration of national student resins.

• Extension of knowledge for benefit of the society.

Mission

• Organization of student-centered activities.

• To inculcate research culture in students.

• To create social awareness about the conservation of RET plants.

• Provide consultancy to deprived people with respect to plant sciences.

• To develop soft skills among students.

•  

Future Plans

• • Establishment of Biodiversity Museum and Bioinformatics Centre

  • To enhance the research activities in the department

  • Strengthen Industry-Institute Interaction.

  • More placements in core companies.

  • Encouraging students for competitive examinations and higher studies.

  • Networking and strengthening relationships with stakeholders.

  • More focus on Industrial training for faculty and students.

  • Girl students with varied socio-economic backgrounds.

1. B.Sc. Botany

2. Certificate Course in Nursery Technique

3. Certificate Course in Tissue Culture – UGC COC

4. Certificate Course in Garden & Nursery Management  – SUK

Sr. No.	Name of Faculty	Qualification	Designation	Post Type
1	Dr. Mrs. Manisha V. Kale	M.Sc. Ph.D.	Associate Professor	Permanent
2	Dr. Suraj D. Umdale	M.Sc. Ph.D.	Assistant Professor	Permanent
3	Dr. Mrs. Vaishali S. Shinde	M.Sc. Ph.D.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
4	Dr. Sandeep K. Gavade	M.Sc. Ph.D.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
5	Miss Anita A. Murgunde	M.Sc. SET	Lecturer	C.H.B.
6	Miss Urmila A. Hirnekar	M.Sc.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
7	Mr. Niranjan J.Patwardhan	M.Sc.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
8	Miss Komal R. Danole	M.Sc.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
9	Miss Sonali B. Langare	M.Sc.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
10	Miss Swarupa g. Sankpal	M.Sc.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
11	Miss Prajyoti K.Desai	M.Sc.	Lecturer	C.H.B.
12	Shri. Bharat M. Hatgine	B.A.	Lab. Attendant	Permanent
13	Smt. Kalpana V. Shetti	B.A.	Lab. Assistant	Permanent

• Tables- 22

• Chairs- 14

• Boards- 02

• Cupboards- 10

• Laboratories- 02

• Computers- 02

• Printer-02

Sr. No.	Name of the Project	Name of Principal Investigator	Name of Funding Agency
1	Phytochemistry of Pteridophytes of Castlerock, Anmode & its Environs	Dr. M. V. Kale	UGC, Pune
2	Ethnomedicinal studies in some Pteridophytes of South Western Ghats- a Biodiversity Hot Spot	Dr. M. V. Kale	UGC, New Delhi

Name of activity	Date	Participants
Tree Plantation Programme	21st June 2016	15
Celebration of Mendel’s Birth Anniversary	22nd July, 2016	18
Wall Paper Activity	22nd July, 2016	18
Celebration of “Gurupournima”	29th July 2016	19
Celebration of Teachers Day	5th September 2016	19
Celebration of Mendel’s Birth Anniversary	22nd July, 2017	24
Botanical Excursion-Visit to Nursery	2nd December 2017	96
Botany Club ‘Plant for the Day’		12
Workshop on Herbarium Preparation	8th March 2018	11
Celebration of Mendel’s Birth Anniversary	22nd July, 2018	19
Wall Paper Activity Botany Club ‘Plant for the Day’	08th August 2018	18
Celebration of “Gurupournima”	27th July, 2018	18
Display of Wall Paper	18th August 2018	18
Excursion Tour to Kas and Mahabaleshwar	27th August 2018	11
Exhibition on Biodiversity of Western Ghats	8th September 2018	25
Inauguration of Nakshtra Nursery	9th September 2018	25
Botanical Excursion Tour of class B.Sc. III	11th and 12nd January 2019	12
Visit to Datta Nursery, Shirol	2019-01-25	96
Hanging garden competition & Wall paper display	2019-01-26	15
Tree Plantation Programme	2019-01-28	15
Plantation Programme 2019-20	9th July 2019	19
Plantation Programme 2019-20	23rd July 2019	19
Wall paper inauguration/ Hanging garden competition/ Welcome function of B.Sc. III	26th August 2019	19
Excursion Tour to Dandoba Hills Miraj	30th August 2019	18
Exhibition on Medicinal Plants	18th June 2019	25
Tree Ganesha Activity	04th August 2019	19
Excursion Tour to Gaganbavda & Barbet plateau	15th October 2019	80
National Level Webinar on “Kitchen Gardens for Safe Food”	20th October 2020	Online (406)