The Botany Department since its inception in 1968 in the erstwhile Post Graduate center. Osmania University has made great strides during its three and decades of existence. The Department offers M.Sc., M.Phil and Ph.D. courses. The M.Phil course that was discontinued earlier has now been reintroduced again under the School of Distance Learning and Continuing Education to enable the College teachers to improve their qualifications.

The following is the succession of the Heads of the Department under whom the Department has grown to the present stature.

1. Prof. Jafar Nizam, Ph.D. (London) -1968 – 1974
2. Prof. U. B. S. Swami, Ph.D. (Wales) -1974 – 1980
3. Prof. L. L. Narayana, Ph.D. (Osmania) -1980 – 1987
4. Prof. Bir Bahadur, F. I. Biol (London) -1987 – 1990
5. Prof. Vidyavathi, Ph.D. (Osmania) -1993 – 1995
6. Prof. Digamber Rao, Ph.D. (Osmania) -1996 – 1997
7. Prof. V. Thirupathaiah, Ph.D. (Madras) -1997 – 1999
8. Prof. K. Subhash, Ph.D. (Osmania) -1999 – 2001
9. Prof. N. Pratap Reddy (Kakatiya) -2001

It is a matter of pride for the Department to recall the names of several distinguished and eminent academics that had served this Department in the past. The following is the list.

1. Prof. Jafar Nizam, Ph.D. (London) - Former Vice-Chancellor, KU.
2. Prof. U. B. S. Swami, Ph.D.
3. Prof. L. L. Narayana, Ph.D.
4. Dr.P. Laxminarayana - IAS – Govt. of A.P.
5. Late. Dr. Damayanthi Swami
6. Dr. P. Kumar - USA
7. Mr. P. Satyanarayana Rao - IFS
8. Prof. P. B. Kavi Kishore - Osmania (Genetics Dept.)
9. Late. Dr. P. Vojay Kumar -
10. Prof. S. M. Farooqui -
11. Prof. Bir Bahadur -
12. Prof. Vidyavathi, Ph.D. (Osmania) - Former Vice-Chancellor, KU
13. Prof. Digamber Rao, Ph.D. (Osmanina) -
14. Prof. S. M. Reddy Ph.D. (Jodhpur)

The Department has made an indelible mark in teaching and research of Botany right from its inception and is on the threshold of major achievements. At present the Department has 15 Faculty members including 8 Professors, 6 Associate Professors and 1 Assistant Professor both in University College and Univ. Arts & Science College, which is a constituent college. During its 30 years of existence, the Department has produced over 1300 Post Graduate Students and 186 candidates were awarded the Ph.D. degree. Only once a regular batch of M.Phil. Was admitted in 1977 and 6 candidates were qualified for the degree. Four batches of M. Phil. under SDLCE with an in take of 10 students were admitted and the last batch is in final stages of completion.

The Department has to its credit over 1750 research publications published in National and International Journals. About 30 major and many minor research projects have been sanctioned to the Department by various agencies, many of which have been completed and some are on going. Most of the staff is actively involved in their own research and also guiding research. All the laboratories are well equipped.

Most of the staff members have gone abroad on some fellowship or the other and attended many National and International Conferences. At present 50 registered scholars are working under different supervisors. Many of the past students of this Department are on the staff at Colleges all over Andhra Pradesh and other states.

Apart from two common papers the following specializations are offered at M.Sc. final level. The UGC sanctioned starting of Applied Microbiology and Tissue Culture as additional new special subjects during the 6th Plan Period. Presently 1) Cytology, Cytogenetics and Plant Breeding 2) Morphogenesis and Reproduction Biology and 3) Plant Biotechnology are being offered.

The M.Sc. syllabus has been recently revised, updated and utilized as per UGC guidelines to enable students to write NET examination effectively.

Field of research activities

1. Cytology, Cytogenetics and Mutation Breeding.
2. Genetics and Plant breeding
3. Comparative Morphology, Chemotaxanomy and Palynology
4. Reproductive Biology
5. Phycology and Hydrobiology
6. Mycology & Plant Pathology
7. Microbiology
8. Physiology & Tissue Culture
9. Radiation Botany
10. Taxonomy and Floristics
11. Ecology and
12. Plant Biotechnology and Genetic transformation.

Microbiology

M.Sc. Microbiology as an integral part of Botany Department was started with an intake of 8 students from the academic year 1993-1994. The Microbiology section of the Botany Department is strong with three Professors, 1 Reader. They are doing research on different areas of Microbiology such as fungal taxonomy, soil microbiology, mycorrhizae, microorganisms of extreme environments and plant pathology. So far 47 scholars have obtained Ph.D. and 10 research scholars are at different stages of completion of Ph.D. projects sanctioned by DBT, AICTE, ICMR, CSIR and UGC have been successfully completed.

M.Sc. Biotechnology

The M.Sc. Biotechnology has been introduced on the campus under the leadership of Botany Department, keeping in view the expertise available in the Department from the academic year 2000-2001.