Osmania University in Hyderabad, India has opened a new Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies. The centre was established in 2019 as part of the MoE-RUSA 2.0 project and is located in the Central Facilities for Research and Development building. The new building is a single floor 5158 square feet facility with state-of-the-art labs for biodiversity, climate change and conservation research.
During the inauguration ceremony, Prof D Ravinder, Vice-Chancellor of Osmania University, stated that biodiversity conservation is not just the responsibility of the government, but every citizen should play a role in it. The focus of the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies is to document and map the rich biodiversity of Telangana, bridge the Darwinian, Linnaean and Wallacean shortfalls, and to conduct research on conservation-related issues in the state and nation.
The centre’s mission is to enhance the use of rigorous scientific data to create a database on the existing biodiversity of Telangana. It will also train manpower to further this cause through workshops and other activities. The activities of the centre will help in developing professional, institutional, and community capacity and further the University’s efforts to heighten public understanding and stewardship of biodiversity, stated Prof C Srinivasulu, Director of the Centre.
