Eminent People

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

“We are deeply impressed by the spiritual aim behind the building of an international city called Auroville. The importance of the effort to achieve human unity and international cooperation by the creation of such a city cannot be overemphasized; nor can we neglect the immense benefit to be acquired from it.”

“(In Auroville) I noticed that there is a very good harmony, a good relationship with the local people, and many local Indians seem to fully participate and enjoy working with the westerners. This is very good. Auroville has a spirit of community, irrespective of religion, culture or race. This is really what we need.”

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: (former President of India (2002 – 2007)

“I have come as a pilgrim to this place, Auroville, and why I say pilgrim is because you have a mission larger than any individual. …My answer to a child’s question ‘What I want to become?’ was ‘A better human being’ and Auroville is perhaps the place that makes human being a better human being.”

Indira Gandhi: (late) Prime Minister of India

“Auroville is an exciting project for bringing about harmony among different cultures and for understanding the environmental needs for men’s spiritual growth. May Auroville truly become a city of light and of peace.”

Dr. Karan Singh

An eminent Indian leader, former Union Minister, former Indian High Commissioner to USA, former and current Chairman of Auroville Foundation,  in 1992.

“Auroville is an arrow pointed towards the future of evolution. And that is why Auroville is so extremely significant for the future of the human race….Auroville has an extraordinary career so far – Auroville has reached a certain level. What is needed now is major push into the future.”

Dr. Karan Singh

Senior most Indian statesman, Chairman of the Auroville Foundation; President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations,

“If Auroville is to become a viable township in the foreseeable future, it is essential to acquire at least the minimum area for the city and the green belt as soon as possible. What is happening is that private owners are steadily hiking their prices and it is becoming increasingly difficult for Auroville to acquire these lands. Without them, the full concept of Auroville as envisioned by The Mother will fail to emerge.”

A Message from Thiru Mohan Verghese Chunkath, IAS(Retd.), Secretary of the Auroville Foundation

“In order that Auroville may strengthen and manifest her potential of a far-reaching consequence, not just for the wider Auroville bio-region but also for Tamil Nadu, India and humanity as a whole, it is essential to ensure that land development in the Township area happens in a planned and orderly manner.

I wholeheartedly endorse the efforts of the ‘Acres for Auroville’ and ‘GreenAcres’ campaigns which seek to raise financial resources for purchasing remaining lands in the City area and Greenbelt of Auroville. I request all people of goodwill to actively support and contribute towards the success of these two dedicated campaigns.”

Late Dr. L. M. Singhvi

Former Indian High Commissioner to the U.K, Chairman, Indian Diaspora; former member, Governing Board, Auroville Foundation, in 1999, a scholar in Indology, jurisprudence and Political Science.

“Speaking as a lawyer, the identity and the integrality of Auroville must first of all be preserved in the identity and integrality of the site. The identity and integrality of Auroville is not confined to the site but the site is an important foothold of the vision. Auroville’s very name suggests that here is a city, a town, and the community of Auroville is obviously based in a defined territory (…) The only way to safeguard the vision of Auroville, the only way to uphold the legislative Act passed by Parliament, is to safeguard the territorial integrality and identity of Auroville.

Auroville is a universal township, a universal township of tomorrow. It is a vision that cannot accept, cannot countenance intrusions, or pockets of intrusion into it. Auroville’s influence will radiate even wider… to the entire globe. But the territory of the twenty square kilometers is basic to the concept and territorial undertaking of Auroville. I think that this must be safeguarded first and foremost. There has to be a very comprehensive and multi-pronged action. (…) The Governing Board of the Auroville Foundation has a very strong responsibility in this respect. The various Auroville working groups have all done a great deal; an enormous amount of work.

Late David R. Brower

Co-Founder of the environmental movement, founder of the Friends of the Earth, founder of the Earth Island Institute, Recipient of Blue Planet Prize, Tokyo, nominated thrice for Noble Peace Prize,

“Auroville is unique not only as an environmental project but also as a living model for a new form of relationship between Nature and urban development. In this regard, I have been troubled to learn that the integrity of this valuable experiment is being jeopardized by the encroachment of private developers buying up parcels of land within the Auroville area. This not only creates a serious threat to Auroville and its planning process as an integrated model, but it even leads to an uncontrolled spiral of inflated land prices, making it even more difficult for Auroville to acquire lands necessary for a unified plan.

Professor Ms. Mary E. King

Former Adviser to US President Jimmy Carter, currently Professor of International Politics and Special Adviser to the Rector, University for Peace, United Nations, Recipient of Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation International Award for promoting Gandhian values outside India, Former member of the International Advisory Council, Auroville Foundation.

“Of great concern is the state of rising pressures on the land adjacent to, surrounding and within the Auroville township area. …Market forces are creating strains of such a magnitude that they threaten the actualization of this most remarkable experiment in international unity.”

Shri V. Suresh

Former Chairman and Managing Director of Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd., (HUDCO), a premier Govt. of India undertaking

“Every activity in Auroville should be a role model for the country…Auroville is a new place for a new population. It should be protected so that hotels, resorts and similar things do not disturb the sanctity of the place.”