Issue Nº392 – In Memoriam

On February 18, 2022 Amit Bawa passed away due to cardiac arrest at the age 48.

Hailing from Srinagar, Aamit came first to Auroville in 2008 and became Aurovilian in 2011. With his friendly, outgoing and ever-smiling nature, he was a welcome figure in the various Auroville services to which he contributed, such as Deepanam School as learner and facilitator, as member of the Matrimandir Access group at Matrimandir and the Visitors’ Centre, as active participant in children’s school camps, and more. In later years he oversaw Swagatham guest house in Bharat Nivas, where he lived peacefully with his cat family and transformed the gardens into a true flower paradise. His dedicated and cheerful presence will be sorely missed. Aamit’s remains were cremated at the Auroville mandapam on February 20th.

Saraswati Helene Champaloux, an early Aurovilian, passed away on February 5th 2022 in France after a long struggle with cancer. She was 75 years old.

Saraswati received her name from Champaklal in 1991 and joined Auroville two years later. During her time in Auroville, Saraswati researched the several levels of the energetic patterns that surround living beings and earth and she developed a deep emphatic connection with the world. She was working in connection with the Angelic Entities and she was painting them in Auroville when they allowed her to reproduce their energetic pattern. She had an Angel’s theme exhibition in September 2000 at Pitanga art gallery in Auroville. These art works were deeply inspiring and with a wonderful presence. Apart from being an artist, she worked as an assistant to Dr Kamala Tiwari at the Health Center, at the Matrimandir, and at CSR with Aurosatprem. The funeral of Saraswati’s remains took place in France on 16 February. Her Auroville friends bade her farewell during a silent gathering at the Matrimandir Banyan tree.

Dakshina Vanzetti, a ballet dancer, artist, entrepreneur and co-founder of the Lodi Ashram, California, passed away on February 17, 2022 at the age of 65. She had been suffering from cancer.

Dakshina was a dear friend and a spiritual sister to many. Her spiritual path first brought her to the Atmaniketan Ashram, but later to the Sri Aurobindo Sadhana Peetham in Lodi, California, where all those who, in The Mother’s words, “wish to serve the Divine” could offer themselves in all their parts and activities in a collective sadhana. She started ‘Auromere’, a commercial undertaking which sold books, shampoo, incense, toothpaste and more and donated 10% of the proceeds to Auroville while the balance supported the Ashram. She also served on the Board of the Foundation for World Education and built Mother’s House for guests visiting the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry. “Her dedication and discipline and love of beauty was an inspiration to all who knew her,” wrote Julian Lines. “The last days of her life and her moment of departure were calm, graceful, and filled with the presence of the Divine,” recounts Govinda. “She lived out her final days in the beautiful atmosphere of her own room, and a profound peace enveloped the entire ashram.”

A short video about Sri Aurobindo Sadhana Peetham can be seen at https://youtu.be/-zbmfQpfGBk

On February 24th, Sanjeev Aggarwal passed away at the age of 70 in JIPMER, after a cardiac arrest.

Sanjeev came to Auroville at the end of 1981, cutting short a successful career as a High Court lawyer in New Delhi. He was, with his legal background and formation, the right person to continue, as its administrative head, from 1992 onwards the immense challenge of bringing to further fruition the Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research (SAIIER), which had been set up in 1984 by Kireet Joshi and Alain Bernard. The Institute now oversees the many schools and other educational projects in Auroville and the bioregion. Sanjeev was its main pillar of strength throughout the years. His focus on Auroville’s Udavi school in Edaiyanchavadi village made the school expand enormously.

His greatest joy was in enabling young people to discover their goal and potential in the context of Auroville. He loved the concept of the Gurukul and brought up four girls in his own house.

His other passion was Auroville’s organisation. He was a member of three Working Committees and took up innumerable other administrative functions and, with them, the accompanying complexity and tension. With his strong-willed character and deep dedication towards the development of Mother’s Auroville, Sanjeev took part wholeheartedly in Auroville’s communal meetings and debates. In the last years, he curtailed his administrative work due to medical problems.

Sanjeev’s remains were cremated at Auroville’s burial and cremation grounds on March 1st.