In memoriam - Paul Israel Berdah

Paul Israel Berdah, better known as Paulo of Tanto, left his body at the age of 71 on December 2nd in a hospital in Paris where he had been treated for a cancer from which he suffered since early 2017.

Paulo, born in Tunis and of French nationality, was an accomplished dentist in France who used to travel in India during his holidays. On one of these trips in the early nineties he discovered Auroville, where André Hababou directed him to Auroville’s Dental Clinic. Upon meeting Jacques, an immediate bonding took place between the two dentists and since the mid-nineties Paulo came, along with his wife Claudine, almost every year to help his friend out in the Clinic. He also wholeheartedly plunged into Sri Aurobindo and Mother’s works, specifically into ‘Savitri’.

As soon as he was pensioned, Paulo and Claudine came over and moved into their house in Petite Ferme. In 2008, Paulo officially joined Auroville and while still working at Dental Clinic, gradually his attention shifted and he became involved in the very early stages of the setting up of Tanto Pizzeria, of which he was co-executive from the very onset. His gentle, easy going presence became the perfect counterpart of Tanto’s Daniel and the two of them worked along very well.

Many Aurovilians will know him from there. His pleasant demeanor and happy-go-lucky stance in life, combined with his singing of South American songs while accompanying himself on the guitar, endeared him to many. He will be acutely missed.

On the late evening of Saturday 1 December, Aurovilians came together at Matrimandir’s Banyan Tree, in a prayer for a peaceful transitioning toward the Light for this friendly, unassuming man.

Paulo’s remains were buried in Paris on December 4th.