Latest news with #AurovilleFoundation
The Hindu
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Villupuram Collector visits Auroville to explore sustainable housing models
Villupuram Collector Shiek Abdul Rahaman visited Auroville recently to explore sustainable development practices, especially housing models. According to Auroville, the Collector, accompanied by J.E. Padmaja, Additional Collector, met officials of the Auroville Foundation and discussed cost-effective building techniques used in Auroville, for replication in rural housing development projects in Villupuram district. The team was taken around Auroville by Sindhuja Jagadeesh, member, Auroville Town Development Council, Antim, from the Admissions and Terminations Scrutinising Committee and Koshy Varghese, senior consultant for the Auroville Foundation. During the visit, officials from Villupuram surveyed low-cost and innovative material options for roofing and walling systems in Auroville. The team explored unique civil construction techniques that enable creation of buildings without heavy use of concrete, supporting multiple-storey structures up to two or three floors. A key highlight was the team's visit to the Centre for Scientific Research (CSR), where they observed the applications with Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks (CSEB) and ferrocement channel roofing systems, a press note said. Later, the delegation visited Kinisi, an electric vehicle and cycle manufacturing and maintenance unit, housed in a building constructed using sustainable methods and an archetypal Aurovilian home, designed with lightweight roof and discussed options to resist heat during summer while remaining cost-effective. They also inspected a wood furniture workshop that repurposes wood from Auroville trees fallen during cyclones, promoting zero-waste practices. The last stop of the tour was the probiotics unit producing natural hand-washes, dishwashers, bath soaps, perfumes, and aromatic candles. According to the press note, the Collector found the sustainable housing solutions, particularly architecture and construction practices, impressive and expressed keenness to explore implementing similar eco-friendly, low-cost homes in Villupuram for the homeless and under the PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana). The Collector was also taken up by the handicrafts and self-sustainable units that support women entrepreneurs and youth in businesses, the press note added.
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Villupuram collector explores Auroville's eco-tech for low-cost rural housing under PMAY
VILLUPURAM: District Collector S Shiek Abdul Rahman, accompanied by Additional Collector (Development) JE Padmaja and other officials, visited the Auroville Foundation on Tuesday to examine cost-effective and sustainable building techniques for potential implementation in rural housing development projects in Villupuram. The official team was joined by Auroville Town Development Council (ATDC) member Sindhuja, Admissions and Terminations Scrutinising Committee (ATSC) member Antim, and Senior Consultant to Auroville Foundation Koshy Varghese. The secretary of the Auroville Foundation is Jayanti S Ravi. The delegation toured various structures in Auroville, showcasing alternative construction methods. They observed low-cost roofing and walling systems, including buildings constructed without the heavy use of concrete, which support two- to three-storey structures. A visit to the Centre for Scientific Research (CSR) included demonstrations of Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks (CSEB) and FC channel roofing systems. The team also visited Kinisi, a unit focused on electric vehicle and cycle manufacturing and maintenance, which operates in a sustainably constructed building. A furniture workshop using wood from cyclone-felled trees was also inspected, promoting a zero-waste approach.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Auroville pioneer faces deportation after sixty years in india
At 86, all that Frederick Schulze-Buxloh wants is to live out the rest of his life in his adopted home, Auroville . However, the grand patriarch of the township was asked to book a one-way ticket to Germany after spending 60 years of his life was just 10 when he was made to go to Dachau with other schoolchildren and witnessed the atrocities committed against Jews in the concentration camp. While it was common practice in Germany to inculcate hatred toward Jews in children, the visuals never left his mind. As soon as he reached adulthood, a disillusioned Frederick left Germany for India. "Four Indian personalities inspired the world at that point: Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekananda, and Aurobindo. The moment I met Mother (Mira Alfassa, the spiritual collaborator of Aurobindo), I left it all and joined Aurobindo's Ashram in 1960," says donated his family inheritance to Mother and dedicated his life to "manifest Aurobindo and Mother's vision of human unity" to become one of the pioneers of Auroville, where he spent the next 60 years setting up the township from scratch. "There was nothing but barren land here. We built a few huts, bought bread from Pondicherry, and soon, others started coming in. Roads had to be built, and the children's education had to be arranged, but we got help from all over the world and the govts," he the years, Frederick became an indispensable part of the community, involving himself in sports, social projects, educational projects, governance, fundraising, and community building. "We built community centres and kitchens while working on education and afforestation within the township," he today, Frederick's future is uncertain. Non-Indian residents in the township stay on X2 and X3 visas made for Aurovillians, which can be renewed only with a recommendation letter from the foundation secretary. Frederick says he has not received the letter. "Auroville is my only home and India, my country. I have no one in Germany except step-siblings. Four of my five children and all my grandchildren are here," he Jagadeesh, spokesperson for Auroville Foundation , says a "leave India notice was issued to Frederick by the Ministry of Home Affairs". The notice was a result of an inquiry committee's report which named Frederick among others for buying benami properties in Puducherry and Kodaikanal, she says. "He has also obstructed development activities at Auroville and organised mob attacks."Frederick says he has not received a notice from the govt. "Allegations of illegal activity can be levelled at anyone, but I'm yet to get any communication in this regard. I hope I get the visa on humanitarian and medical grounds." A petition seeking the immediate renewal of Frederick's visa is going around, which has garnered more than 1,000 signatures of Aurovillians, and another 2,000 of well-wishers. "Frederick's visa denial is like a warning to the rest of us," says Chali Grinnell, an international resident, adding that anyone who opposes the new administration is being denied visa renewals.
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Officials from Ministry of Education visit Auroville, learn about development projects
A team from the Ministry of Education visited Auroville Foundation to understand it's functioning and learn about the development projects. The team, including Joint Secretary Govind Jaiswal and Deputy Secretary Saila Shah, visited various units including food processing, candle, chocolate and leather manufacturing centres. They also visited Matrimandir and held discussions with representatives of Auroville Foundation, a release here said. 'The Ministry officials discussed about the development projects for the Auroville City, grant-in aids, land acquisition procedures for Auroville City project and Green Belt initiative. The officials expressed their support for the ongoing development initiatives,' the Foundation said in the release. The visiting delegation was briefed by Accounts Officer Angshuman Basu, Senior Consultant Venugopal and other members of the committees of the Governing Board, the release said.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Madhya Pradesh delegation to deepen collaboration with Auroville in holistic education and sustainable practices
A delegation from the Madhya Pradesh Education Department recently visited the Auroville Foundation to explore partnerships in holistic education and sustainable development. A press note from Auroville Foundation said the team, comprising senior officials and educators, engaged in comprehensive discussions on Auroville's unique education system, which aligns closely with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and emphasises experiential, out-of-classroom learning. In a virtual address, Jayanti S. Ravi, Additional Chief Secretary of Gujarat and Secretary of the Auroville Foundation, underscored the importance of spreading Auroville's integral education model — rooted in the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother — across the country. She expressed hope that the visit would pave the way for a deep and lasting collaboration with Madhya Pradesh. On the teacher training front, plans were envisaged to implement a cascade training model in Madhya Pradesh for over 2.5 lakh teachers. Auroville will train master trainers who will then impart training on holistic teaching methodologies throughout the State. A proposal for construction of Madhya Pradesh Bhavan in Auroville, a project originally supported by former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was also discussed in the meeting. This facility was envisaged to serve as a hub for long-term teacher training and collaboration. The discussions also focused on collaborative projects in green buildings, renewable energy, and sustainable community development. The delegation from Madhya Pradesh comprised, Kamna Acharya, Additional Director, Pramod Singh, Deputy Director, Sashikant Kubrelay, Assistant Director, Nishikant Joshi, Officer on Special Duty and Ashok Patke, Project Officer. Sanjeev Ranganathan, chairman of SAIIER, presented the core elements of Auroville's educational methods, which go beyond traditional academics to nurture every aspect of the child — physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. This included activity-based learning (sports, kinesthetic learning, experiments), arts and creativity (music, dance, theatre), emotional and social development (conflict resolution, leadership training), and higher-order thinking (intuition, moral reasoning, affective education). Auroville has offered to train 100 selected teachers from Madhya Pradesh in holistic pedagogy during summer vacation. The visiting delegation also toured Auroville's schools and met the trainers to explore future collaborations in curriculum innovation, physical education and teacher empowerment, the press note said.
