Department of Geography

The Departmnet of Geography was eastablished in July 1977 intially in the school of Social Sciences with full time Lecturers. Shri Shyamia1 Harilal Bhagvati, a noted industrialist made it possible to house this newly born department in an independent building in the year 1979. Since then the department has become functionally part of the School of Sciences. In addition to teaching, the department provides research guidance to Ph.D. students : At present 55 students are in M.A, Programme and 2 students are working for Ph.D. programme.

The department has at present two faculty member and two more are going to be recruited. The Cartographic and Computer Laboratories are equipped with Optical Reflector Projector, tracing tables, GPS handset, 5 computers with Pentium IV, scanner, Digitizer 3 printers, Geo-media software package, more then 500 SOItoposheets, Polycrat -wall maps, raised relief maps, National Geographic CD's set, Yaschika camera, Electronic Planimetsr, Satellite imageries etc.. In addition the department has overhead projectors, slide projectors and colour Television.

Over the years the Department has conducted a National level Conference of Indian Institute of Geographers (1IG) (1983) and several regional level workshop on research methodology, cartography and development. The faculty members have successfully conducted seven research projects funded by the University Grants Commission, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Department of Environment and Forests, Narmada Sardar Sarovar Planning Board, and Department of Science and Technology. Till now, 16 candidates have successfully completed their Ph.D. programme and two are in the final stage of their work. The focus of research is on the urban , social and health issues. The department proposes to develop Geoinformatics as a highly specialised skill for geographical, locational and regional planning studies.