  We present analysis of optical photometric and polarimetric observations of
contact binary system FO Hydra (FO Hya). The computed period of the system is
0.469556+/-0.000003 days. An O-C curve analysis indicates an increase in its
period by 5.77x10^{-8} day yr^{-1}. The photometric light curves are analyzed
using Wilson-Devinney code (WD). The present analysis shows that FO Hya is a
B-subtype of W UMa type contact binary. The radii and mass of primary and
secondary components are found, respectively, to be R_1 = 1.62+/-0.03 R_sun and
R_2 = 0.91+/-0.02 R_sun, and M_1 = 1.31+/-0.07 M_sun and M_2 = 0.31+/-0.11
M_sun. The light curve shape shows small asymmetries around the primary and
secondary maxima. This may be due to the presence of dark spots on the
components. The polarimetric observations yield average values of its
polarization to be 0.18+/-0.03, 0.15+/-0.03, 0.17+/-0.02 and 0.15+/-0.02 per
cent in B, V, R and I bands, respectively. These values are appreciably lower
than the typical polarization of W UMa type binaries. We have discussed the
possible sources of the observed polarization but in order to arrive at
definitive answer to this more phase locked observations are needed.
