History
The Department of Biology was established in the year 1929 at the O`Brien School building Lakshmipuri Kolhapur. The Department of Biology was bifurcated into two disciplines viz, Botany and Zoology in the year 1960. Mr. S. A. Parandekar, an eminent Botanist headed the department for almost three decades (From 1930-1960). He was an eminent taxonomist and author of many books. He was one of the authors of Marathi Vishwakosh, Wai. He had also written a textbook in Botany and a dictionary of Botanical terms. His field of research was Taxonomy of Algae, Fungi and Ferns (Cryptogams). Plant specimens collected by him and his herbarium are still maintained in the Department.
In 1971, the Department was shifted to the present premises at Sagarmal, where we are having three well-equipped and spacious laboratories, lecture hall, museum and other basic amenities.
The Department developed a Green House in the year 1984 in which rare and endangered wild plant wealth is preserved and nurtured.
When the college was shifted at the present site, it was just a barren rocky terrain but with the hard work and enthusiasm of all the members of Department of Botany, the premises is now turned into a very lush, green area though there is paucity of water in summer and the overlying fertile layer of soil is very thin but still trees are carefully nurtured.