Berhampore Girls’ College

The term ‘Physiology’ comes from the Greek words ‘Physios’ and ‘logus’. Physios means ‘the function of life’ and logus means’ study’. So, physiology is the study of normal function of life in living matter. It attempts to explain the chemical reactions which occur in the cell, the transmission of nerve impulses from one part of the body to the other, contraction of the muscles, reproduction and transformation of light energy into chemical energy, etc.  Physiology is now expanded into its different branches like biochemistry, nutrition and dietetics, sports physiology, ergonomics, endocrinology and reproductive physiology, bio-physics and electrophysiology, neurophysiology, immunology and microbiology, environmental physiology.  To-day the physiological sciences have covered a very wide range from comparative and evolutionary physiology. Physiology has always been closely linked with medicine. The study of physiology has got tremendous impact on the community health programme as well.

Physiology as a Basic Science in India     
The study of physiology in India started in 1824, when a medical school was set up in Calcutta. Later on, physiology was introduced in Madras Medical School in 1835 and in Grant Medical College of Bombay in 1843. At that time, no university was existing in India and physiology was taught only as ancillary to medical education.

Professor Subodhchandra Mahalanobis (1867 – 1953) is considered the father figure of physiology in India. He went to Edinburgh for higher education in 1891. Physiology had become the cutting edge of biological sciences in Europe by that time. Physiologists were using animals and plants in the laboratories to understand the basic mechanism of living process. In that golden era of British physiology, many new concepts were emerging. Professor C S Sherrington was talking about synapse and Prof. E H Sterling had reported the presence of hormones. The young mind of S C Mahalanobis was probably marveled by the glittering discovery of physiology and he trained himself in this subject along with other subjects in Edinburgh.

Professor S C Mahalanobis is returned to India in 1900 with the very purpose of initiating the teaching of modern physiology in his motherland. Though he got the appointment to the post of Professor of physiology, Bristol University, he did not join the post. After returning from U.K. in June 1900, Professor Mahalanobis, met the then Lt. Governor, John Woodburn in Calcutta and elucidated to him the importance and need of teaching Biology as a basic science. In the year 1900 itself, Prof. Mahalanobis joined Provincial Bengal Education Service and was posted in Presidency College as Head of the Department of Biology, (which included Physiology and Botany also). Later on, Biology course was separated into three disciplines, Physiology, Botany and Zoology. Separate B.Sc. Honours course in physiology was introduced in Presidency College in 1901; Prof. Mahalanobis become Head of both physiology and botany departments. In 1911, Post Graduate course in physiology was introduced by Prof. Mahalanobis in Presidency College, under the University of Calcutta. Later on, in 1938, the PG department was shifted to Rajabazar Science College. But again in 1939, under the chairmanship of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, in a joint meeting of Board of Studies and P.G. Board of Physiology, C.U., it was decided that P.G teaching in physiology would also be continued in Presidency College. Prof. Mahalanobis was founder president of ‘the Physiological Society of India’. P.G course in physiology as basic science, was simultaneously taught both in Science College and Presidency College under the University of Calcutta. Realizing the importance of physiology as basic science, later on, both undergraduate honors and postgraduate course in physiology, under the Faculty of Science, were introduced in Tripura University (UG in 1961, PG in 2006), Burdwan University (PG in Hooghly Mohsin College in 1997), Vidyasagar University (PG in 1990), Kalyani University (PG in K N College, Berhampore in 2001 and in KU campus in 2005), Barasat State University (2008) and in Gour banga University recently. PG course is also started in Serampore College, Rammohon College, Midnapore College and Raja N.L.Khan Women’s College recently. Many of the Post-Graduate students in Physiology have occupied positions in research institute and teaching institutions of our country and abroad. Apart from Schools, Colleges, Universities many physiologists are engaged in IIT, IISC, Defence Research Institutes, IICB, ICMR, Medical colleges, NIS, Drug Research Institutes, National Brain Research Institute, National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Bose Institute, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, NIN, TIFR, Paramedical (BMLT, BPT, MLT etc.) Pharmaceutical Industries.

Brief History of the Department     
The subject physiology was step in at our college in the year 1981 as pass course under the University of Calcutta and in the year 1995 as honours course under the University of Calcutta. Now these courses are continuing under the University of Kalyani. The following teachers served their service in this department:

Non-Teaching Profile

Results of the University Examination

Department of Physiology   

Bright records of the Department  

Ongoing and Completed Projects/Grants  

Seminar and Workshop organized by the Department
State level seminar on “Micronutrient-Deficiencies:Prevention and Control” funded by Department of Higher Education,Science & Technology and Biotechnology on 18th &19th February,2017
26th Annual National Conference of The Physiological Society of India funded by ICMR, DRDO, DST(W.B.), Dept. of Higher Education (W.B.) on and from 19-21st December, 2014
National Seminar on “Biological Sciences for Human Welfare: Teaching and Research in Modern Perspective” BIOSEM-2018, funded by Department of Higher Education, Science & Technology and Biotechnology on 29th &30th September,2018