M.Sc. Home Science was started in the year 1970 at the palatial mansion in Manasagangotri campus. This seed grew up as a tree of Department of Studies in Food Science and Nutrition (formerly Department of Studies in Home Science until 6th February 1994) offering postgraduate and Doctoral degree programs in Food Science and Nutrition. A new Master's and Doctoral degree program in Human Development was started in the academic year 1993-94 which is an interdisciplinary subject that focuses on the development of human beings at different stages of life. Specialization in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics was introduced in 2013, to meet the growing demands of dietitians and clinicians. In 2020, two new courses were introduced – PG Diploma in Food Safety, Hygiene and Applied Nutrition, and Certificate Course in Nutrition and Health in collaboration with IIHMR, Bangalore. Department is also involved in online SWAYAM MOOC program for Food and Nutrition.

The department is housed in its own academic building in the Manasagangotri campus since 1976, and an extension wing under VIII UGC plan was added in 1993-94. The department has well-equipped and furnished classrooms, staffrooms, instrument room, computer facility, Nutritional biochemistry and Food science laboratories. A new building for housing Human Development Program was constructed in the year 1999-2000 by generous fund given by Prof. P. Selvi Das, then Member of Parliament, Government of India. This building has a seminar hall, classrooms, staff rooms and a research laboratory for the Human Development program. Mysore University Day Care Centre was established adjacent to the Human Development wing in the year 2009 which caters to the research and practical needs of M.Sc. Human Development program.  A new wing was inaugurated on 19th October 2020 on the 1st floor which has advanced Nutrition research laboratories, sensory evaluation booths and experimental Food Lab specially designed for research purposes.

Former faculty Prof. K. Padma Umpathy, Prof. Rudramma, Prof. Saraswathi G., Prof. Shashikala Puttaraj, Prof. Khyrunnisa Begum and Prof. Jamuna Prakash have contributed in their own ways for growth and development of the department.  Late Dr. S. G. Srikantiah, former Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, served as an honorary visiting Professor at the department from 1980-89. He made immense contributions to enhance the standards of research. Many dignitaries from premier National and International institutions visit the department for enriching and training the students.

Facilities:

•Department has collaborative research work of Ph.D. and Dissertations with – Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL),  All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD), and various multispecialty hospitals, Early Childhood Care and Educational (ECCE) centers, Special Education Centers, NGOs working for the welfare of women, children and elderly for Internship programs.

Achievements

•More than 1000 students have graduated with the degree of Food Science and Nutrition, and Human Development. So far, 80 Ph.D. Degrees in Food Science and Nutrition, 10 Doctoral Degrees in Human Development have been awarded. 

•Research publications: more than 800 research papers have been published in reputed journals and > 800 presentations (oral/poster) in International / National conferences, seminars, symposia along with Books/Book chapters/Booklets written by faculty in English and Kannada on various topics for the public and target groups.

•Faculty and research fellows are actively involved in sharing and creating awareness about healthy lifestyle practices among university students and staff through Radio-Manasa. 

•The department has to its credits, several radio talks (40), 6 Television programs aired, live programs, actively involved in community outreach activities in collaboration with Indian Dietetic Association, Mysore chapter by organizing various extension programs in schools, colleges, Women and Child Development Department, various NGO’s like Magic bus foundation, Kiriya Pushpa Ashrama, BEML, Health centers and hospitals etc.

Radio programs:

•For more than 2 decades have been broadcasting on All India Radio – Bangalore & Mysore, talks in both Kannada and English on various topics /events - National Nutrition week, Breastfeeding week, Nutrition during pregnancy and lactation, Women’s health issues, Poshan Abhiyan, Healthy eating for youth, Fast food and Junk food, Life cycle approach for better nutrition, Food security, Diet for Diabetes and CVD, Food processing impact on nutrients, Science in Kitchen etc.

TV programs 

•Participated in TV shows / discussions on Doordarshan, Chandana TV, CEC programs, SWAYAM-MOOC courses through EMMRC

•Shot a scientific documentary for Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), Berlin, Germany on the topic “LebendineFleisch, Living without meat – What are the health effects of vegetarian diet?” July 2014

•Shot a documentary on ‘New Trends- Increasing the demand for Nutritionists ’ for InBody, Korea 2019 (https://youtu.be/gx4pwNO2uy8) 

•Research documentary for Discovery Channel by Lisa Sabina Harney, Director and Producer on issues such as – Nutritional and functional importance of various food groups, the impact of Nutrition transition on food habits, health, the increasing trends in the prevalence of non- communicable diseases among the Indian population, changes in dietary pattern, ethno-geographic disparities in disease prevalence and diverse dietary pattern across India. Jan 2020

Video Bytes: 

•‘Benefits of immunization, role of immune enhancing nutrients ’ on World Immunization week 24-30 April 2020,  Magnessa Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru and ‘Health effects of Junk foods’ on the occasion of World Junk Food Day, Drive on creating awareness by Kause Konnect, Social platform mentored by Dr Kamal Saxena, New Delhi, 21 July 2020.

•The Department is actively involved in creating awareness among the public by commemorating various National health days like Anti- Obesity day, National Nutrition week, World Heart day, World Food day, National Breastfeeding week, Food safety training programs, Dietetics day, World Mental Health day, Newborn care week, International Yoga day, World Autism Awareness day by in-reach and outreach programs in collaboration with various hospitals, Anganwadis, PHCs. 

•Faculty have been honored with awards in recognition of their contributions by KSCST, AFST, NSI, IDA and other prestigious bodies. 

•Research scholars and students have won young scientists and other awards for oral and poster presentations in scientific conferences. 

•International collaborations with University of Manchester, University of Reading and North Western University have been established

•The Department has 2 patents to its credit.

•Department served as an Academic Partner on invitation by i-Conferences, for  The International Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Safety,  Sri Lanka (AgroFood 2019 and 2021) 

•Faculty and research scholars of Food Science and Nutrition provide Nutrition counseling services for patients, University employees, general public. Consultancy to Food industries is also taken up on invitation.

•Faculty of Human development extended guidance and counseling services to parents of children of Mysore University Day Care Center and the university students. 

•The Indian Dietetic Association found its Mysore Chapter Headquarters at the department (2014).

•The department has in-house societies like Nutrition Society, Human Development and welfare association for the benefit of students to take up extracurricular activities like quiz, inter-college competitions (PG and UG), open-day, Food fair, healthy cooking competitions, vegetable carvings, poster competition, individual and group games and so on.

•The department commemorated various events (Conferences, Seminars, Workshops, Invited lectures from eminent speakers) throughout the year to mark its Golden (2020) and Silver jubilee (2018) of FSN and HD, respectively. 

•The department hosted Nutrition Society of India Annual National conference (2004), National workshop on Nutrigenetics funded by ICMR in 2019.

Best practices

•Outreach program: The Students of the department are actively involved in creating awareness by conducting periodic street plays, dramas, skits, education conversations with general public on various platforms like schools, Special Schools, PHCs, Old age homes, rural areas and hospitals as part of their curriculum and community activities.

•Faculty, research scholars and students of Human Development are involved in developing indigenous creative activities, learning and play materials for young children and organizing training program for Anganwadi workers. 

•Faculty, research scholars and students of Food Science and Nutrition are involved in developing novel food products to combat nutritional deficiency disorders in target populations. Students have won laurels at various national (AFST, FSSAI) and International forums (Dupont) for their innovative and creative ideas and styles in developing novel food products.

•Training program: Department periodically conducts training programs for Anganwadi workers, Stree Shakti workers, trainees of creche management on various issues of early childhood education, health and nutrition 

•Hands-on-training: Department provides hands-on training on statistical analysis using SPSS to students, research scholars and faculty. 

•Counseling Services: Department gives regular nutrition counseling to university staff and students. It also extends parental guidance, child counseling, student counseling to needy people.  

•Educational tour to various colleges and universities offering Human Development and Food Science & Nutrition programs across India.

•Visits to National Research laboratories, Food industries, Hospitals, Govt. and NGOs, Early childhood Care and Educational centers, Centre for challenged children, Old age homes, Juvenile homes in and around the state.

•Medals and Cash prizes – for Rank students and subject toppers.

•Competitions: Conducting competitive seminars,  Intra-departmental sports and games.

Click here to view linkages with other institutes for Internship/Dissertation or Project work/Field work, etc.

Click here to view list of students studying in the department for the year 2020-21

Click here to view list of students studying in the department for the year 2022-24

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Location

The department is located at Manasagangotri postgraduate campus of the university. Click on the image below for a detailed map of the campus and the city.

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