Vision

• To empower the students with scientific knowledge of the interrelationships between the plants and microbes with an insight into their significance in the creation of sustainable environment.

Mission

• To instil in the students Eco consciousness, the favour for research through an in-depth study of the texts and to motivate them to contribute to the society by preparing new herbal products and medicines and enhance their competency for employability.

History of the Department

      In our College Pre-University Course was started on 23.06.1962 with the affiliation granted by the University of Madras. Our Department coupled with the Zoology Department, functioned as the Natural Science Department and later on, Biology Department. From 1966 – 67 onwards Biology department has been bifurcated into Botany Department and Zoology Department.

       From 1962 – 63 till the year 1978 – 79 Botany was taught at the Pre – University Course level. When B.Sc. Zoology Major was started in the year 1966 – 67 Botany was one of the ancillaries. Since then the Department of Botany has been offering Botany as one of the ancillaries. When B.Sc. Chemistry Major was started in the year 1977 -78, Botany is taught as an ancillary subject. When B.Sc Biochemistry Major was started in the year 1989 – 90, Biology is taught as an ancillary subject from 1989 – 90.

Highlights of the Department

• Non-Major Elective courses, Horticulture and Maruthuva thavaraviyal introduced in the academic year 2018-2019.
• Students are taken for regular field visit to the areas like Kodaikanal, Courtallam, Azhagar Koil and Sirumallai etc., to understand the vegetation, types of forest, collect rare specimens and maintain of Herbaria.
• The village Kunthalampati is adopted for extension activities like awareness on Parthenium weed eradication dengue fever and Terrace garden.
• Since 2013 -2014 our department is offering Workshop on Mushroom cultivation
• The Department of Botany has a well established laboratory with major equipment like colorimeter, pH meter, Centrifuge, Hot air oven, inoculation Chamber, UV spectrophotometer, Shaker and Laminar airflow chamber etc. There are some 42 Compound microscopes and 48 Dissection microscopes to carry out the Taxonomy and Anatomy practicals.
• In the Academic year 2020-2021 under DBT-Star College Scheme, purchased 2 Stereo Binocular Zoom Microscope for the purpose of dissecting the microscopic plants, 1 Stereo Trinocular Microscope for research purpose of clear view of cell organelles in the cross sections of plants and 1 Trinocular Microscope with digital camera.
• Herbal Garden is maintained under the financial assistance of DBT Star College Scheme
• More than 700 books in our Department Library covering all the major disciplines of Botany.
• World Forests Day is celebrated each year on March 21 to raise awareness about the importance of forests and trees.
• Mrs. P. Balagengathara Thilagam Gopalsamy Gold Medal Award for Zoology Major Students - I Rank in Botany Ancillary awarded since 2013-2014 Academic year.