Botany – Government Institute of Science

About Department

Government of Maharashtra established an institute of science at Aurangabad to nullify the regional imbalance .The institute was started in the year 1974 with the department of Botany as a research department, under the leadership of Prof. Ranganekar, the plant physiologist, but his stay was very short and he returned to United States.
In the beginning it was only a research department. Professor Ranganekar left the department and returned to Canada to resume his original post. The main aim of the dept. was to undertake the research activities pertaining to local needs. Hence, to give the impetus, on the recommendation of Prof. Bal the then Officer On Special duty of the Institute. Government of Maharashtra immediately procured the services of Dr. R .N. Joshi the Plant Physiologist from Marathwada University as Professor and Dr. N. D. Kamat, a renowned Algologist from the Institute of Science, Nagpur as Associate Professor in 1975, Dr.P. T. Sarode [presently Reader] was appointed as Research assistant.
Prof. R. N. Joshi left the dept. In 1977 and at the same time Dr. L. V.Gangavane , a soil microbiologist and plant pathologist joined as Associate Professor through M.P.S.C. selection. However, he too left the dept. in 1979.
In the year 1982, Dr. V. L. Bakale, after his selection through M.P.S.C. joined the deptt. as reader in Botany. He was specialized in Cytogenetics and weed Biology. In March 1983, he was transferred to the Institute of Science, Nagpur, and from there Dr. S. P. Nanir, Reader, specialized in Mycology was transferred to this deptt. Up to 1985 there was no teaching programme in the Deptt.
It was after 1983 that Dr. S. P. Nanir, took over the charge of the Deptt. as Head, convinced the, then Director of Institute of Science, Dr. P. V. Ranganekar, that here the teaching program is essential for the development of Department and research activity. Through the constant perseverance, Govt. was pleased to accord the permission to start M.Sc. Botany course from 1985. Accordingly first batch of M.Sc. Botany, with Applied Mycoloygy as a specialization was admitted in June 1985.
Dr. V. L. Bakale was appointed as the Professor of Botany in 1986.And at the same time, Dr. Sarode was working as Lecturer [post of research Assistant was converted to the post of Lecturer]. Simultaneously, three posts of Lecturer were created and sanctioned by the Govt., Dr. Ms. Sahera Nasrin and Dr. T. Srinivasu were appointed as Lecturer, and Dr. S. K. Markandeya joined this Deptt. on transfer from Govt. Ismail Yusuf College Bombay. In 1990 Prof. G. V. Patil joined this Deptt. from Institute of Science Nagpur as Prof. Bakale was transferred to Nagpur. In the same year one more post of Lecturer was created and sanctioned by the Govt. and Dr. K. G. Joshi who was transferred to this Deptt. from Govt. College of Arts and Science Aurangabad. Now he is working as Head of the Deptt.
Up to 1996, there was only one specialization at M. Sc final i.e.; Applied Mycology. In 1997, second optional of Medicinal Botany, Pharmocognosy and Ethnabotany, was started. Mean while in 1998 Dr. T. Srinivasu was transferred to Institute of Science Bombay and Dr. R. A. Satpute was appointed as Lecturer through M.P.S.C selection. In June 2003, he is transferred to Govt. College of Arts and Science Aurangabad.
The department started following specializations as per the requirements viz. Applied Mycology (1996), Medicinal Botany, Pharmacognocy and Ethnobotany (1998), Biodiversity (2018) and Crop Genetics and Plant Breeding (2022).
Since the inception of the Institute the department is recognized research center of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.
Presently 3 faculty are research guides and 13 research students are working for their Ph. D. degree.

PROFILE OF FACULTIES

Name of Faculty	Qualification	Designation	Experience (Years)	No. of students awarded Ph.D	No. of students Perusing for Ph.D	Profile
Prof. Rajendra A. Satpute	M. Sc. SET, Ph. D.	Professor & Head	30	12	08	View Biodata
Dr. Abhay N. Salve	M. Sc., M. Phil., Ph. D.	Associate Professor	17	02	05	View Biodata
Vacant		Associate Professor
Miss. Dr. Vanashree J. Parsodkar	M. Sc. SET	Assistant Professor	06	00	00	View Biodata
Mr. Vinod W. Patil	M. Sc. SET	Assistant Professor	09	00	00	View Biodata
Dr. Sunil M Sangle	M. Sc. SET Ph. D.	Assistant Professor	10	00	00	View Biodata