Issue Nº429 – In Memoriam

Daniel of Tanto (Daniel Emdin) left us suddenly on 4 March 2025, due to cardiac arrest. He was 77 years old.

Daniel came to stay in Auroville in 1977, after having visited a few years earlier. At the time he lived at Sri Ma, then called Far Beach. He left in 1981 and returned for good in 2004. From then on he was fully involved in various activities and working groups of Auroville, where he shared his visionary ideas.

Jean-Claude Bieri passed away at his home in France, Pyrenees-Orientales, on 11 March. He was 79. He lived with his partner, Marie-Jo, and was the father of two daughters born in Auroville, Hebaragui and Mindelai.

We met him in 1967, when we were both landscape decorators in and around Paris. We talked to him about the Auroville project, for which we had just received an invitation to the inauguration. At the beginning of 1969, when we met Vicenzo in Roger Anger’s architect office, who was working on the plans and models for Auroville, we became enthusiastic about the idea of a caravan of vehicles to transport people and materials for the establishment of the first Aspiration colony. With Jean-Claude and a small team, we refurbished the second-hand vehicles we had acquired to make them roadworthy, with departure set for 15 August, 1969. In December 1974, he organised a second caravan of cars from France, with around thirty people. A photographic retrospective of the fiftieth anniversary of the event was held last December at the Tibetan Pavilion.

Jean-Claude has invested in Auroville a great deal of time and effort, fulfilling his mission as a pioneer and getting involved in the “Dream”. In particular, he has helped Jacques Verre with the technical and electronic realisation of the Kuilaypalayam dental clinic. Available to all, Jean-Claude was a good companion, always cheerful and discreet. He was laid to rest on 17 March.

Stephanie left her body in Frankfurt on the night of Sunday, 10 March, after a long journey battling with her health, surrounded by the love and care of her family. She was 57 years old.

Stephanie dedicated much of her life to Auroville, working with various groups and initiatives. Driven by her deep belief in the power of education, especially for young women, she founded in 2011 the Reach for the Stars programme. This programme aims at giving talented but underprivileged students from the villages surrounding Auroville a scholarship to pursue their dreams of higher education. The funds have consistently been donated by European supporters. The programme continues and has just begun its 14th year.

Stephanie had a deep love for the ocean and found joy in surfing. Above all, she was a wonderful mother, an amazing aunt, and a kind soul whose warmth touched many lives.