Published: October 2025 (12 days ago) in issue Nº 435
Keywords: Passings, Russia, Grace community, Matrimandir construction, Machinery / equipment and Nature camps
References: Vladimir Ivanov
In memoriam - Vladimir Ivanov

Vladimir Ivanov
Vladimir, who was living in Grace and working at the Matrimandir, passed away on 30 August at the age of 69.
Vladimir was born in St Petersburg, Russia and joined Auroville in 1995. He was a tireless, dedicated and inventive worker. Soon after joining the Matrimandir team in the mid 1990s Vladimir began to take a keen interest in its electrical infrastructure development. He took up the care of the heliostat operation and provided the detailed input needed to enable the heliostat to direct the all-important sun’s ray onto the globe in the Inner Chamber.
At the time of the modification of the Inner Chamber and the overall completion of the Matrimandir in 2005-2007, Vladimir developed an entirely new system to provide air conditioning to the Inner Chamber. This system functioned very well for most of the last 20 years.
An avid sportsman, Vladimir was always ready to jump in a jeep and go off with a team of youth to set up and maintain the yearly summer camp in Kodaikanal. He also enjoyed journeying to the Himalayas with teams of Aurovilians or with his two sons who would come from Russia.
Filled with enthusiasm for the work and for life, Vladimir was a strong and valuable team member.
Covid dealt a strong physical blow to Vladimir in 2020, and since then he had not been able to carry on his intense work at the Matrimandir. Even so, he continued to give detailed input on the work and was often able to go up to the Kodai hills to help out with camp work.
The burial of his remains took place at the Auroville burial ground on 31 August.