botany-mcc

The department of Botany was established in the year 1937 when the Madras Christian College shifted from George Town, Madras now called as Chennai, and moved to the sylvan surroundings in the Selaiyur reserve forest, Tambaram.
Professor M.S.Sabesan was the first head of the department with one lecturer and a tutor.

The museum and library were shared between the Botany and Zoology departments.

After about 12 years during the 1950’s the student strength increased to 25 and a majority of them were from Srilanka and Malaysia.

The shifting of the department in the year 1983 from the main building to a spacious 2 floor department building designed and constructed with the monetary assistance from central agency, West Germany. 

In plant biology special focus is being given to such disciplines as biodiversity-angiosperm and algal taxonomy, seed biology, pollen biology, ecology and environment, forest biology, cell biology, pollination and dispersal  biology, and those related to plant biotechnology such as plant tissue culture, algal and microbial biotechnology, molecular biology and genetics, plant physiology and biochemistry and bioinformatics.

The department has an internet facility through LAN  and all research labs plus the I M.Sc and the II M.Sc labs have been provided with an extended internet connection which serves the purpose of web browsing in labs and in the computer laboratory.

Bio-informatics infra structure facility (BIF) at the college has established an extension center in the department computer lab.

The shelves in the library have been rearranged after the stock taking and getting computerized.

The past record shows steady growth and progress in teaching, research and co-curricular activities.  

The Botany society and the PG Botany club contribute immensely to the academic as well as extracurricular activities of the department.

Under Graduate students have participated actively in the various inter-collegiate competitions organized by other colleges and won deserving prizes trophies and over all shields for their performance in events such as paper presentation, quiz, bio-cartooning, cross word, floral arrangement, ad-zap etc.