In memoriam - Ramalingam Ramachandran

Ramalingam Ramachandran, the manager of Sustenance Farm, passed away on 29th November in JIPMER hospital due to post surgical complications. He was 62.

Ramalingam was born in Kuyilapalayam and was involved in Auroville right from its beginnings. Initially he joined Auroville Polyester as a worker at the age of around 12. In 1982, he became an Aurovilian and lived in Fraternity.

He worked on Matrimandir and then played a pivotal role in the setting up and managing of the early community kitchen in Bharat Nivas. Later, he was in-charge of the Auroville Boutique in Pondicherry. While there he helped Auroville with land encroachment at Quiet. Soon after, he was involved in protecting another adjoining land and personally took care of it. He has played a major role in creating Gokulam Farm, in collaboration with Perumal.

Ramalingam has also been involved in Auroville’s organisation and was a member of different working groups and committees.

Ramalingam was among the first Aurovilians who voluntarily gave the land under their stewardship for a land exchange within the Master Plan area. Going beyond personal interests, he devoted himself to the collective cause.

Later he moved to the Sustenance Farm, managing the farm and the farm’s kitchen to the very last moment. He had been learning farming for 14 years under the guidance of the head of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Farms. Even when he started the kitchen at Sustenance Farm, his main objective was to provide affordable quality food to everyone.

Ramalingam was a multifaceted person with diverse talents in various fields. He had a great affinity for Thiru Pugazh, a form of devotional singing, and was part of a traditional theatre group. He would often travel to far-off places to take part in Thiru Pugazh programmes.

Recently, he concentrated on his far-reaching project to transform farming in Auroville from being a business to being a service for the community. He was just about to start training at Sustenance Farm for everyone interested to learn about organic farming in theory and practice so that they could take up farm lands for stewardship after this period of education.

This, the last project Ramalingam which worked upon and for which he had dreamed so long, will hopefully be continued by like-minded residents and collaborators.

He was a sturdy and reliable colleague and friend who will be truly missed.

Ramalingam’s body was cremated on 29th November at the Auroville Burial and Cremation Ground.