BOTNAY

History

In view of lively rural surroundings and rich Biodiversity of plants, animals and bio- culture, there was always a demand for opening Biological Science department in Balurghat Mahila Mahavidyalaya College and subsequently the Bioscience Sections were started with an aim to impart quality laboratory based education to the students. The Department of Botany was started in the year 2009, initially it was for B.Sc. General Course and later upgraded to honours level of teaching under Gour Banga Univsrsity.

Objective/Aim of the Department

• To provide quality education to the students and inculcate the interest of higher learning and research in Botanical Science
• Motivate students for higher education and research in botany and allied sciences
• Organize student oriented seminar/symposia and workshops
• Create facilities for students for hands on training and learning

Courses Offered

(Botany Honours and General – CBCS mode- Six Semesters) Programme provides basic knowledge of the living world, plant diversity, taxonomy and evolutionary trends of flowering and non-flowering plants, cell biology, genetics, plant physiology, microbiology, mycology, plant pathology and plant ecology as well as Bioi nformatics, Biofertilizers, Stress Biology, Medicinal Plants, Pharmacognosy, Floriculture, Horticulture and Mushroom Technology as added topics under Skill Enhancement courses.  This department is actively imparting the knowledge of subject to the needy students and awareness among them about environment related issues.

Extension Programme

Department of Botany regularly organizes short field trips and excursions to different locations.  The major objective of these study tour and field trips is to familiarize the students with the flora & ecology of the region as well as to acquaint them with the importance of flora and fauna of that area and the threads these ecosystems face due to natural and Anthropogenic pressures. In this connection, we have visited important ecosystems of the hills mainly Khangchendzonga National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Mahananda Wild Life Sanctuary, Sukuna Biodiversity forest and Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary, popularly known as Kulik Bird sanctuary.

 
Major Milestones / Students Progress and Participation

• Department’s Wall Magazine: Gives a platform for the students to express their thoughts and innovative ideas related to the subject as well as to promote scientific skills of the students.
• Our Students have secured first class in their examinations and apart from that thy have actively participated in the Field Tours and Excursion programmes. Apart from this, our Students have also participated in various Seminar,Workshops and Science Exhibitions organized by the Department of Youth Affairs, Government of West Bengal
• Department of Botany is one of the research centers for conducting quality research under Horticulture Mission Programme for North Eastern Region of Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

 
Co-curricular Activities

Online Special Lecture Series: On Current Trends in Basic Sciences and Career Opportunities. Date 25-06-2020 to 26-06-2020

Topics Discussed

• Exploring Microbial Wealth for Plant Health Improvement and Entrepreneurship Development by
• B.N.Chakraborty Professor Department of Biological Sciences, Aliah University, New Town, Kolkata
• Insights into the world of plants and environment: a pointer to the way forward by Dr. Usha Chakraborty Professor (Rted.) Department of Botany, University of North Bengal
• Translating Research on Endophytic fungi into Pharma and Food Application by Dr Sunil Kumar Deshmukh Fellow and Area Convenor,The Energy and Research Institute, New Delhi
• Bio-prospecting microbes for Food and Agriculture by Prof. Vivekananda Mandal Professor Department of Botany, University of Gour Banga, Malda – 732103, W.B., India
• Insect pest management using pheromones and advanced eco-friendly technologies in agriculture ecosystem by Dr. Burla Sashidhar Director Development . AG Bio Systems Pvt. Ltd.
• Nano-Biotechnology-an exciting interdisciplinary area to explore by Dr. Umesh Kumar School of Nano Sciences, Central University of Gujarat
• Recent Advances in Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy and it’s Application in Biology by Dr. Dibyendu K. Sasmal Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur

 
Research Activities

• Department of Botany is one of the Research Partners of Department of Bio-Technology, Government of India, Horticulture Mission Programme for North Eastern Region under the thrust area “Biotech Interventions in Citrus of North East Region” and is actively conducting research in the area of “Harnessing Endophytes and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi from Citrus Microbiome for Plant and Soil Health Management in North East India”
• Department of Botany is a research partner of SYMBIOTIC SCIENCES PVT. LTD. Gurgoan, Haryana for testing Biological Inoculums of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi.
• Department of Botany has been actively involved in research activities and has been jointly supervising research scholars in the field of botany and allied Agricultural Sciences.
•        Mr Ashutush Kundu- Ph.D Scholar- Supervisor Prof Vivekananda Mandal, Department of Gourbanga, Joint Supervisor Dr Kiran Sunar, Assistant Professor, Department of Botany Balurghat Mahila Mahavidyalaya
•        Mr Keshab Das- JRF, under the Joint Supervision of Dr Kiran Sunar, Department of Botany, BMMV and Dr Arun Kumar Rai, Department of Botany, Sikkim University Principal Investigators  of DBT Project, DBT, Govt. of India
•        Mr Saurav Gurung- JRF, under the Joint Supervision of Dr Arun Kumar Rai, Department of Botany, Sikkim University and Dr Kiran Sunar, Department of Botany, BMMV Principal Investigators  of DBT Project, DBT, Govt. of India

 
Our Assets and Facilities

• Computer and Internet facilities and Software for Conducting Bioinformatics/Proteomics based studies
• Department has well established Botanical Garden having plants of syllabus oriented of Botanical interest.
• Experimental Green house for conducting in vivo plant experiments and maintaing Germplasm for Arbuscular Microrrhizal Fungi
• Central Instrument facility
• Department has a well equipped laboratories for Undergraduate Studies as well as to conduct Agricultural Microbiology Related Research Activities.
• Collection of Herbarium sheets of different Angiospermic plants, preserved plant materials (Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms)

 
Instruments

• Refrigerated Centrifuge /cooling centrifuge REMI-C24 Plus (Max speed-2000 rpm)
• Refrigerated Centrifuge /cooling centrifuge REMI- CM 12 Plus (Max Speed 1200 rpm)
• Microbiological Biological Safety Cabinet as per Class II
• Bacteriological Incubator
• BOD Incubator and seed germinator
• Dewinter ‘Crown’ Research Trinocular Microscope With ‘Gcam-Hd’ Hd Camera With9 Inches   Lcd Screen, (Two Set)
• Dewinter- Stero Zoom Microscope
• Magnus HM100 Monocular Microscope
• Students simple and Compound Microscopes
• Microbiological Horizontal Laminar Air Flow Bench
• Mechanical Shaker (Rotary Shaker)
• Digital Balance
• Digital Colorimeter
• pH and Conductivity Meters
• Magnetic Stirrer
• Digital Hot water bath
• Refrigerator

 
Our Funding Partners

• University Grants Commission, Government of India
• Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
• Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal
• Radhamadhab Institution, CSR wing of PC Chandra Group under their scheme “Gyandhara Prakalpo
• College Fund