Rate My Professor B Makesh Kumar

Dr. B. Makesh Kumar serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Botany at G. Venkataswamy Naidu College (Autonomous), Kovilpatti, where he was appointed in 2009. He currently holds the position of Director-in-Charge of Self-Finance Programmes and previously served as Controller of Examinations from 2020 to 2025. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Plant Science from Madurai Kamaraj University in 2004, with a thesis on photosynthesis, water relations, and growth of Casuarina equisetifolia clones; an M.Phil. in Energy and Environmental Biology from the same university in 1998; and an M.Sc. in Botany from Bharathidasan University in 1996. He also completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Quebec, Canada, funded by the NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2005-2006. With over two decades of teaching and research experience, including 15 years at the UG level and 9 years at the PG level, he has taught courses in biology and participated in multiple orientation and refresher programs.

Dr. Makesh Kumar's research focuses on Plant Ecophysiology, encompassing phytoremediation, heavy metal accumulation, phosphate solubilizing bacteria, and environmental conservation. He has authored over 60 publications in peer-reviewed journals, Scopus-indexed, and Web of Science outlets, including 'Isolation, identification and characterization of phosphate solubilizing bacteria from different crop soils of Srivilliputtur Taluk' (Tropical Ecology, 2016) and 'Antibacterial activity and heavy metal accumulation of edible oyster mushroom (Pleurotus Sajor-Caju)' (International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2012). His book publications include Flora of GVN College (2012, ISBN 9789350677216), and he has contributed three book chapters on topics such as phytoremediation of fireworks pollutants. He has completed funded projects from UGC, TNSCST, and ICSSR, totaling over Rs. 15 lakhs, and guided student research projects. Among his honors are the Arignar Anna Award (2023), Lifetime Achievement Award by National Science Foundation, Distinguished Professor Award (2021), Tamil Nadu Government Environment Patron Award (2020), and Best NSS Programme Officer (2017-18). Administratively, he has been Deputy Coordinator of IQAC since 2012, UGC Coordinator, and AISHE Nodal Officer.