Appeal to the Chairman

This letter is an appeal to you concerning the allocation of 100 acres of Auroville’s Annapurna Farm to IIT Madras for the development of a Sustainability Campus. IIT Madras is an institution of excellence, and sustainability is indeed a key issue for the future of humanity. However, in this particular case, there appear to be some fundamental contradictions with the idea of sustainability as well as the ideals of Auroville when viewed from the integral vision given by Sri Aurobindo, and I would like to bring this to your kind attention and wise consideration.

Physical Dimension of Sustainability

The modern global discourse on sustainability largely focuses on the carbon footprint, soil health, organic agriculture, biodiversity, product life-cycle, recyclability, energy efficiency, and related technological innovations. These address the physical and material aspects of sustainability, and Annapurna Farm of Auroville has been a pioneer in the field of organic farming and soil health. IIT Madras too has been working in the field of soil fertility. If this were a collaborative effort where the experiences gained by Annapurna Farm and IIT Madras were enhancing each other, it would have been a meaningful step towards the future.

However, what I have understood from the email message dated August 13, 2025, from ATDC to Annapurna Farm, is that the idea is to relocate the farm and allocate its land to IIT Madras. This risks undoing much of the dedicated work done by the farm over decades in developing soil fertility, organic farming, and food production for Auroville, which is the very foundation of sustainability. Soil fertility and fruit trees cannot be relocated like buildings and movable assets, and it takes a long time to regenerate soil and grow trees.

It would be helpful to understand the reasoning behind why a farm that is already steeped in sustainability is to be deprioritised to establish a new sustainability campus. The declared intention of the campus is in stark contradiction with the proposed relocation of the farm.

Vital Dimension of Sustainability

Beneath the layer of physical sustainability lies the underlying economic system and its sustainability. The current economic systems of the world, with their industrial system of production and consumption, have been primary drivers of ecological destruction and unsustainable, cancerous growth. Economic growth and ecological harmony have been in conflict since the advent of the industrial revolution and the competition-based free market economy, leading to disastrous consequences in terms of pollution, deforestation, loss of soil fertility, and loss of biodiversity. Resolving this disharmony is one of the challenges of sustainability. It is not solely a technological or physical issue, but an underlying economic systemic issue to be addressed and resolved for true sustainability.

Auroville has been conceived as a self-supporting city, with a system of production and consumption primarily for internal use, and only the surplus is intended for trade with the world, as per the guidelines given by The Mother. This is key to socio-economic, ecological, and cultural individualisation and 'atmanirbharata' at the level of a localised collective being. This is a crucial factor for safeguarding the cultural diversity of regional units and their local ecological harmony, which would otherwise be eradicated by globalised free market economic systems based on export and competition, creating monoculture and ecological destruction worldwide. This also protects the possibility of equitable wealth distribution within such regional units, which would otherwise be absorbed by a small global elite amassing wealth and creating vast disparities in wealth distribution across the world.

Local food self-sufficiency is a fundamental starting point for such an economic system, and the work of Annapurna Farm serves as such a baseline. Replacing it with a technological innovation campus serving the dynamics of the global economy represents a fundamental denial of the economic system envisioned for Auroville.

While start-up culture and entrepreneurship are indeed important, they should serve the type of economy envisioned for Auroville, where there is no private ownership and production is primarily for local consumption. Research and development are to be aligned with this ideal of Auroville.

Mental Dimension of Sustainability

A growing concern worldwide is a subtle yet significant psychological imbalance. In developed economies, a sense of meaninglessness, loneliness, and depression is increasingly prevalent, indicating a quiet internal decline. Long-term economic and material sustainability relies on psychological renewal and growth, rooted in an individual's intrinsic nature and purpose (swabhava and swadharma). The world's economic and educational systems, driven by free-market competition, appear to be fundamentally disconnecting individuals from their authentic selves and from Nature.

This leads to increased stress and psychological fragmentation, which in turn manifests as ecological and economic unsustainability. As India's economy expands rapidly in this direction, we are observing a rise in mental health challenges, even among young people, prompting the University Grants Commission (UGC) to establish Student Services Centres (SSCs) to provide counseling support for mental health in Higher Education Institutions across India.

This presents a sustainability challenge at the psychological level. Auroville was envisioned to offer a transformative alternative to the current development paradigm, addressing not only the physical and vital aspects of progress and sustainability, but also the psychological dimensions. When life and work lack emotional and mental enrichment, individuals, organisations, and civilisations are likely to experience decline. Thousands of young people are drawn to Auroville, not in pursuit of advanced technologies or higher salaries, but for something deeper that cannot be quantified in financial terms. The meaning and purpose of life are immeasurable, yet this intangible essence is what truly enables people and civilisations to flourish.

Annapurna Farm has historically served as a beacon of hope and a pioneering example for countless individuals in India and globally, who discovered meaning and purpose in organic farming as a way to secure humanity's future. The potential disruption of such a living laboratory is not merely a question of food production quantity or efficiency, but rather the loss of a profound symbol in people's hearts. It is profoundly important that Auroville’s leadership remains attuned to these subtle factors, which extend beyond the material and economic utility of land. When psychological foundations are undermined, external decline often follows.

The Foundation of Sustainability

True sustainability, in my view, stems from a deep internal and spiritual alignment that empowers people to endure, adapt, and flourish despite challenges. Many individuals who contributed to Annapurna Farm and other Auroville initiatives, even with very limited resources, did so not for conventional employment or payment. Instead, they were driven by a profound sense of purpose, a call of their soul, dedicating their lives to a greater cause for the welfare of the world. This commitment represents a significant shift in consciousness, demonstrating courage and a willingness to engage in a socio-economic experiment where private property, inheritance, and salaries are not the driving forces. This spirit of self-sacrifice and dedication has, in turn, fostered a rich local creative diversity in Auroville, offering inspiration and hope to countless people seeking deeper meaning and purpose in their lives.

Of course, the work undertaken in Auroville is not without its imperfections, in every area of work there is tremendous progress to be made. A live-in-laboratory, by its very nature, involves continuous experimentation, which inevitably includes numerous failures and mistakes. Yet, it is through this ongoing process that remarkable achievements emerge, creating ripples of inspiration for thousands. The emerging world, I believe, will be shaped by these ripples of inspiration, and a new paradigm of leadership will involve becoming a source of such inspiration. For decades, Auroville has been a source of inspiration to millions globally, a reality that is more about psychological impact than measurable external factors.

This internal, foundational aspect, rather than solely renewable energy, electric vehicles, biodegradable materials, or carbon footprints, is, in my sincere estimation, the true essence of sustainability for both Auroville and the world. These external means are certainly important, but they are not the living foundations. If we overlook this fundamental aspect, we risk losing sight of the broader vision, becoming overwhelmed by the complexities of the global economy and the numbers on a balance sheet.

The Excellence of IIT Madras

IIT Madras is indeed an icon of excellence across India and the world, and the concept of an IIT Madras campus dedicated to sustainability is highly valuable. As we consider this, it's important to reflect on all four dimensions of sustainability, not just the material and technological aspects. Auroville has long been recognised for its work in sustainability, encompassing not only material considerations but also deeper economic and psychological dimensions. A collaboration between these two distinguished institutions holds immense promise. However, it seems crucial that such partnerships honour the foundational principles of Auroville and avoid diverting its limited assets for other uses, especially if it involves displacing an established organic farm.

It is fully understandable that an excellent institution like IIT Madras would require significant land for its development plans. Tamil Nadu possesses abundant land, and both the government and industries associated with IIT Madras are well-positioned to support its efforts in acquiring or purchasing land for a new campus focused on technological innovations for sustainability. In contrast, Auroville, as an institution, has not typically received the same level of governmental or industrial funding to acquire lands within its Master Plan area. This is understandable, as Auroville's purpose is not to function as a conventional economic engine or to participate in the global economy in the traditional sense. Instead, Auroville is dedicated to building an alternative to the prevailing global economic paradigm, operating with limited resources that must be utilised with careful consideration.

While the land of Annapurna Farm may not be within Auroville's Master Plan area, it is important to consider that this fact alone may not fully justify its allocation to IIT Madras, an institution with a different mandate and not intrinsically aligned with Auroville's unique socio-economic system. IIT Madras is not expected to develop an alternative economic system in the same way Auroville is.

Trusteeship of the Land

The land in Auroville has been acquired through the generous donations of individuals who deeply trust in the vision of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, rather than through government grants. It is worth noting that while the Government of India has dedicated substantial resources to land acquisition for various educational institutions across the country, Auroville has historically not received similar support. From this perspective, it seems important to consider the ethical implications of allocating Auroville's limited land resources to other educational institutions in India.

While the current legal framework for Auroville may permit such an allocation, it could be seen as potentially inconsistent with the sacred trusteeship expected from the Governing Board of Auroville. Auroville's aim is not to operate as a department of the Government of India, but rather to develop a self-sufficient city where land use primarily supports Auroville's internal needs and growth. Diverting Auroville's limited resources for purposes not directly aligned with its core mission may represent a significant challenge to this trusteeship.

Reimagining the Farms of Auroville

We could consider reimagining Auroville's farms not merely as places for growing food, but as environments that nurture personal growth and provide spiritual education where individuals can reconnect with their inner selves and with Nature. These spaces could become hubs for developing a new economic paradigm and work culture, much like the inspiring example of Sadhana Forest in Auroville. If we were to establish hostels on these farms, dedicated to an integral education rooted in farm work, I believe thousands of young people from around the world would be drawn here. They wouldn't come solely to learn organic or other agricultural practices, but also to address mental health challenges and restore their connection with their inner being and with Nature. This seems to be a pressing need for the youth of today, crucial for their psychological and spiritual well-being.

Having conducted training sessions for students at IIT Madras, IIT Palakkad, and IIM Kozhikode, and offered courses aimed at helping young people discover their intrinsic nature and purpose (swabhava and swadharma), I have gained some insight into the challenges many young people face. In a June 2023 interview with the Indian Express, Prof. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, discussed the institute's responses to a series of suicides and the broader mental health crisis growing among its students.

Auroville holds a significant treasure of experience and healing environments that could benefit the youth of the world, who are the architects of our future. Our farms, forests, and numerous units offer ideal settings for a uniquely transformative, hands-on integral education. Thousands of young people are already seeking such experiences; they are not primarily looking for formal degrees or certifications, but rather for deeper self-discovery. What we can offer is not spiritual tourism, but genuine spiritual education. In my view, this is Auroville’s true purpose and reason for being.

I sincerely hope that you will consider this message not as a critique or opposition to the valuable works initiated by the Auroville Foundation, but rather as a heartfelt suggestion to explore this situation from a potentially different perspective. I would be grateful to learn your perspective on these concerns.

On another note I am glad to share with you the recently released film Topic, a project where I was actively involved. I hope you find it valuable for the future of India and the world.

With much love and appreciation for your bold leadership,

Manoj Pavithran