Shri Shivaji Education Society, Amravati's
Shri Shivaji Science College, Amravati
(Affiliated to Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra)
College Profile
(Affiliated to Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra)
The Department of Botany, established in 1958, is one of the leading departments in the field of teaching and research in Plant Sciences. Initially offering a B.Sc. programme, the department kept pace with advancements in various aspects of plant sciences. In 1977, the then Principal, Dr. V. R. Ghurde, initiated a proposal to obtain recognition as a research centre to undertake M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes. Eventually, the postgraduate (PG) programme was started in 2005, followed by a Career-Oriented Course (COC) titled “Modern Horticulture and Landscaping” introduced by UGC in 2006.
The Botany laboratory is the oldest and the first research laboratory of the college under the University. Since 2009, the department has been offering an interdisciplinary M.Sc. Bioinformatics programme on a self-financed basis. Since its inception, the progress of the department has been closely associated with the dedicated efforts of former faculty members, including Hon. Dr. V. R. Ghurde, Dr. Urmi Shah, Dr. P. R. Deshmukh, Dr. V. R. Deshmukh, Mrs. B. K. Konde, Prof. P. W. Deotare, and Prof. Bhupendra Dorkar.
At present, the department is functioning under the able guidance of Dr. D. D. Khedkar. It has made significant contributions in various academic and research domains and continues to strive for excellence. Currently, the department has seven faculty members, including two Professors, one Associate Professor, and four Assistant Professors. Most of them hold Ph.D. degrees and are actively engaged in research projects funded by UGC, DST, and other agencies.
Over the decades, the department has earned recognition for teaching and research in areas such as Mycology, Fungal Systematics and Biotechnology, Mycorrhizal Biotechnology and Plant Pathology, Ecology and Taxonomy, Plant Physiology, Water Biology, and Photochemistry.
The department also offers an add-on course affiliated with Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University titled “Medicinal Plants: Traditional Uses and Career Opportunities”, along with a Diploma course in Medicinal Plants. Its extension activities aim to serve societal needs through workshops on mushroom cultivation, vermicomposting, and distribution of Trichoderma and mycorrhiza (organic manure) under the SendriyaNivishtha Prakalp. The department also promotes environmental awareness and protection through the student activist group “Ecofriends” and organizes social awareness programmes such as Vriksh Dindi.