Department of History, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

The Department of History was started as a wing of Madurai Kamaraj University Post-Graduate Extension Centre, Palayamkottai in 1986. Subsequently, with the inception of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in 1990, the Department has been functioning un ty in 1990, the Department has been functioning under this university in the Main Campus. The Department offers M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. programmes for the benefit of the rural students from various regions. Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) is a dynamic institution of higher learning, set in a rural milieu of southern Tamil Nadu, with a campus spread of 550 acres. The University was established by the Government of Tamil Nadu as a teaching-cum-affiliating University on 7th September, 1990 to cater to the long-felt needs of the people of the three southern most districts of Tamil Nadu viz., Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, and Kanyakumari. It is named after the renowned Tamil Poet Scholar, Professor P. Sundaram Pillai (1855-1897), the author of the famous verse drama Manonmaniam. It is his poem that has become “Tamil Thaai Vazhthu” the official invocation song sung in all functions in Tamilnadu. The motto of the University is “Reaching the Unreached”. Around 2800 students are studying in this institution directly. The University has under its jurisdiction 102 affiliated Colleges and 6 University Colleges, about 1,30,993 students in regular mode and 13,000 students in distance mode. These colleges, amongst which five are over 100 years old viz., St.John’s College, M.D.T. Hindu College, St.Xavier’s College, Scott Christian College and Sarah Tucker College the oldest womens college in the state, have contributed decisively to the cause of higher education of this region. The main focus of the university is to produce individuals who have the expertise and intellectual curiosity to make a difference in their profession and the society and in conducting the research needed to meet the challenges facing the contemporary world. Majority of the students of this University belong to rural and economically weaker sections of the society. Hence, this University imparts education at nominal and affordable cost. The curriculam of the Programmes offered by this University are periodically updated and the University has resourceful teachers to deliver the same