Issue Nº416 – In Memoriam

The Residents of Auroville express their profound grief at the passing of eminent jurist Fali Nariman on 21st February 2024 who, on more than one occasion, helped the development of Auroville by acting in court or by giving valuable legal opinions.

Sylvia Zimmerman, who lived in Surrender, passed away in the evening of February 4th.

Sylvia had come to join Auroville in 1999, after a long worldwide search and experiences in different spiritual places and communities. In Auroville, she said, she had finally found her home, a community with a sensible lifestyle and which cared for nature as well as for their residents. She also mentioned that she experienced that Aurovilians had never stopped trying to find improved ways of living together.

Sylvia had been teaching English and Meditation in the Life Education Center and Transition School, providing individual tuition as well. In the last two years she was also involved in caring for and entertaining Auroville’s elderly residents. Her smiling presence, her ability to talk in five different languages and her lively interest in innumerable things made her a wonderful companion for many. She was known to reveal a sense of gratitude, often for nothing in particular, but for Life as a whole.

Sylvia's remains were buried at the Auroville Burial and Cremation Ground on February 5th.

On February 20th, Shakuntala Patel passed away at her residence in Swayam. She was 78 years old.

Shakuntala came to Pondicherry and Auroville in the early 1970s and spent many years here. After ups and downs in life, she rejoined Auroville in the early 1990s and settled in Djaima and later Swayam.

She was a free spirited soul, living life on her own terms. Only those close to her became aware of her in-depth studies of the works of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother as she preferred an inward, secluded life, but she kept herself updated of world events and the happenings in Auroville. She and her family have contributed and supported Auroville and individuals within the community over the years though she preferred never to talk about it.

Shakuntala’s remains were cremated on February 23rd at the Auroville Burial and Cremation Ground.

Subramanian M. passed away on February 28th following a train accident at Thambaram nearby Chennai. He was 72 years old.

Subramaniam joined Auroville in 1984 and first lived in Fertile Windmill (Baraka), then at the Matrimandir workers camp, and when that got dissolved, in Prayatna.

He served Auroville as a teacher, a member of the Entry Service, and later as Security Liaison. Lately he worked at the New Creation sports resource center.

Subramaniam remains were cremated in Chrompet on February 29th in the presence of his partner, extended family and close friends.