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Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi

Department of Geography

Department of Geography
 

Department of Geography

An independent and full-fledged Department of Geography was created in 1946 with Late Prof. H.L.Chhibber as its Head. During Prof.Chhibber's regime (1946-55) Dr R.L.Singh, Dr.P.K.Dutt, Dr.P.Dayal, Sri N.Leiter, Dr.S.L.Kayastha, Dr.A.S.Jauhari and Dr.U.Singh joined the University Department, while Smt. Bibha Mukherjee and Dr N.K.P.Sinha joined the Department in Mahila Maha Vidyalaya and Central Hindu College, Kamachcha respectively.

In 1955, Dr R.L. Singh took over the charge of the Department as Professor and Head, after the untimely demise of Professor Chhibber. Prof.R.L.Singh has been largely responsible for providing new dimensions to the teaching of geography, by introducing manifold modifications in the Postgraduate and Undergraduate courses. Due to Professor Singh's great interest and devotion, this department achieved an eminent position in India. In the early phase of research activities, more attention was paid towards Settlement Geography especially urban aspects and in the year 1968 when the IGU Congress was held in India, this Department hosted a pre-congress International Symposium on Urban Geography in Developing Countries. Later researches dealt with diverse fields ranging from Applied Geography, Resource and Regional Planning, Applied Geomorphology and Hydrology, Medical Geography, Agricultural Geography, Transport Geography, Cultural Geography to Area Development and Environmental Studies. The University Grants Commission supported this Department under the Department Research Support (DRS) programme during 1981-86 and under the Special Assistance Programme (SAP) during 1986-92. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi helped it under its FIST Programme to set up a state of the art image processing and GIS Lab. The teaching staffs have worked on and are working on several research projects sponsored by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

The Department was first to install an imported Photostat unit in the early sixties which catered to research requirements even of other centres in the country. Presently the Department is equipped with Cartographic, Soil, Environmental and Remote Sensing & GIS laboratories besides a Computer lab for PG and Research Students. The Department is also linked with the University Computer Networking system having a 24-hour internet facility. The number of teaching and non-teaching positions in the Department has increased from the initial 5 and 6 to 27 and 25 respectively. Besides, there is a Geography section with 5 teachings and 2 non-teaching staff in Mahila Maha Vidyalaya (Womens College, B.H.U.) imparting teaching in Geography to female students at the undergraduate level.

The Department has organized over a score of national and international conferences covering all the focal and interdisciplinary geographical themes. Recently the UGC has recognized the Department for DRS support under its Special Assistance Programme. The individual Faculty members have made
a significant dent in the Indian and International Geography scenario through their research publications, textbooks and monographs. The
Department currently developed a framework of five well-established laboratories in the areas of Surveying, Environment, Cartography, GIS, and
Computer, equipped with the necessary instruments and other facilities. The Department offers UG, PG and PhD programmes in Geography. In addition,
the Department also offers a one year PG Diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS as a special professional course. Employment of students of this course
through Campus Selection has been growing steadily. The main thrust areas include Resource surveys & Environment analysis through Remote Sensing & GIS, and Human settlement and Population studies.

Department of Geography
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
India

 

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