Geography

Prof C B Joshi was the founder principal of erstwhile Parle College, now named as Sathaye College. He with the assistance of Prof B Arunachalam established the undergraduate and post graduate department of Geography in the year 1960. It was a pioneering department, which subsequently led to the establishment of the Post graduation department of University of Mumbai in the Vidyanagari Campus under the able leadership of Dr. C. D. Deshpande.

Initially the department offered B. A as well as B. Sc. at undergraduate level and M. A and M. Sc post graduate degree courses in Geography. Now the Department offers the subject Geography at undergraduate level for Arts students and Environmental Studies for commerce students. Many of the  teachers, lecturers, professors and readers in the college as well as other colleges and University  are students who have graduated from this  college. Some of the Alumni  have made a name for themselves in foreign universities, many have taken up research work as well as teaching profession in various colleges and Universities of Maharashtra. Many students have completed M. A./ M.Sc. in Geography, M.Sc in Geoinfomatics , MBA in Travel and Tourism, Diploma/Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning  from renowned and prestigious institutions like TISS, IIPS, Symboysis, Institute and Environmental Planning etc. 

The Department of Geography has been organizing regular Seminars, Conferences, Mobile exhibitions, Orientation training for teachers of both school and colleges etc. The students are taken for excursion and field trips twice in a year to different parts of India, they are encouraged to participate in inter-collegiate Quiz, seminars, presentation competition, exhibition etc. They have been bringing laurels to the college consistently. 

The department was headed by Prof. V G  Amrite  who retired in December 2002. He was the Chairperson of the Board of Studies of University of Mumbai and has written several books related to Geography. Prof V G Amrite and Dr V S Phadke, ex student of the college and ex head of the department of Geography, University of Mumbai are the editors of the Geography magazine ‘Bhoogol-Adhyapak’. After the retirement of Prof. V G  Amrite, the department was headed by Prof. Smt Bharati Unni. Since 1st November 2016 Shri. D. D. Bombe has given charge of the Department. Smt Shweta Ranade, Smt. Samruddhi.V.Chawan and Ms.Kasturi. D. Medhekar are the other faculty members. The faculty members have developed a very good rapport with students which helps in progress and growth of the department. To make the subject interesting and simple, the faculty members use alternative methods of teaching and effective teaching aids.  Prof Bharati Unni, ex student of the college had been teaching in the college since June 1981, and was the head of the department since December 2002. Her subject of special interest is Environmental Studies, Social Geography with special reference to Tribal and Gender Studies. She has been actively involved in the application of Geography to the activities of Social welfare through the college N.S.S. Unit and Women Development Cell. She has to her credits, several text books in Environmental Studies and Geography, and also has been a research project guide for the students of IGNOU in subjects, Environmental studies, Tourism and Travel Management, Disaster Management etc. The department has introduced an Add on Certificate Course in Tourism and Travel Management affiliated to University of Mumbai. Certificate Course in Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing have also been introduced recently by the department.

The department has many Topographical Maps, Landuse Maps, Thematic Maps, Weather Maps , Remote sensing Images, Aerial Photographs, Planning series Maps, 3D Maps, Admiral Charts  and Informative Maps. The department is well equipped with computer and internet connection, GIS softwares,  Overhead and LCD projector, Film projector, surveying instruments, GPS device, Mapping instruments, Weather instruments, Models  and good collection of rocks specimens .The college library has wide range of Geography Books, encyclopedia, magazines, Atlases, Journals. Those interested in carrying out reference work related to maps and books are always welcome to the department of Geography. 

The department organizes lectures of eminent personalities in different fields related to geography regularly and celebrates Geography Day on 14^th January every year to create awareness of the significance of the subject. During the Utsav festival every year students of Geography participate actively and prepare Maps , Models , Charts , Presentations on  contemporary themes for the Geography exhibition. Department has competent faculty members to support Surveying,  Computer Mapping, Data analysis, Applications of Cartographic Techniques, Planning and Research Project Guidance and Providing Guidance for competitive exams like UPSC and MPSC etc.

Geography is a systematic study of the Earth and its physical and man-made environment. It is a subject which helps studying Man and Environment relationship, Understanding environmental problems and provides solutions through environment friendly lifestyle for protecting our planet Earth. The subject mainly is divided into two branches - Physical Geography (Stars, Planets, mountains, plains, plateaus, river valleys, Rocks, Minerals, Soils, Water, Air and Winds, Oceans, Plants and Animals etc.) and Human Geography (Population, Health, Tourism, Transport, Economic Activities (agriculture, mining, fishing, forestry, industries, trade, transport, commerce, services etc.) Socio-cultural environment (Races, Cultures, Languages, Religions, Tribes), Geo-politics, Geographical thought, Human Welfare, Urban and Rural Settlements, Regional Planning and Development and Regional Geography etc. Geography has become one of the most important interdisciplinary subject in the 21^st century. Everybody is related to Geography through smart phones, use of GIS , GPS, Google maps etc. it is very interesting and challenging subject having lot of job opportunities in the field of Cartography, Remote sensing , GIS, Travel and Tourism , Town Planning, Teaching, Environmental management and Planning, Surveying etc. The knowledge of subject is very much useful in our day today activities.

 Add-on and Self-financed courses

1. Certificate Course Tourism and Travel management

The Career Oriented - Add on Courses for the Under Graduate students along with their conventional degree programme have been introduced by the University of Mumbai under the U.G.C. Scheme of vocationalisation. The objectives of the course is to prepare and guide the youth of today in acquiring knowledge, skills and attitude for self employment and market oriented jobs. The Certificate Course in Tourism and Travel Management is conducted by the Geography department in collaboration with Department of Ancient Indian Culture. Special Guest Lectures, Seminars and Field Visit are organized for enrichment of the programme. Performance of the students is evaluated twice. Career Guidance in Travel and Tourism is also provided by the staff and tour and travel company experts.

 Certificate Course in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing(RS)

Certificate Course in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) has been introduced to develop capacity building in Geospatial Technologies - Geographical Information System, Remote Sensing, Photogrametry, GPS and Web Mapping techniques to prepare maps, data analysis,  photo and satellite image interpretation. The course develops the skills and prepare the students for various career opportunities related to planning, research, image analysis, photogrammetry and thematic cartography. The training is provided by well trained faculty. The hands on training in well equiped computer lab for different GIS and RS softwares is a strength of a course.