Botany, plant science or plant biology, even though is one of the world’s oldest natural sciences has seen resurgence in the last few decades due to a growing awareness of the effects of climate change. Plants are the major source of life on earth and are an integral part of human life. They provide us with food, oxygen and a variety of raw materials for various industrial and domestic purposes. We may have learnt much about most individual plants but in the coming years plants will play a vital role in teaching us about the ecology of the future. As the knowledge of plants is a source of pleasure and profit, the objective of the department is to inculcate appreciation of nature and understand the role of plants towards the future of human societies.

A good understanding of plants is crucial as it allows us to

• Feed the world
• Understand fundamental life processes
• Produce medicine and materials to treat diseases and other ailments
• Understand environmental changes
• Provide carbon sink amongst other things

Botany today is such a large and varied area and has many important uses in a wide variety of disciplines, that it has evolved several niches and offshoots. Therefore, the course offered not only include study of diversity of plants and their economic importance but also offers a comprehensive overview of cell and molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, biotechnology and bioinformatics. Botany, along with its allied branches, provides employment opportunities in research and educational institutes, pharmacy, agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Over the years, the Department of Botany has witnessed a large number of graduates and postgraduates enter a diverse range of fields from science communication to agriculture, weed control to soil science, and landscape studies and conservation to teaching biology in our high schools, college and Universities in India as well as abroad and some have excelled in other areas. The Department maintains Laboratories, Library, Tissue Culture Facility, and a Botanical Garden.