Auroville Earth Institute (AVEI)

A detailed evaluation report published in November 2024 by Satprem Maïni, Director of the Auroville Earth Institute, highlighted several concerns regarding the ongoing construction of a bridge at Darkali for the Crown Road project.

Palani is the executive and product manager of Aureka, Auroville’s engineering company. Here he talks about his upbringing, his work, and his plans for the future.

On 19th June Satprem Maini was notified by the FRRO Chennai that he had to leave the country on or before 1st July, although he holds a valid visa until December 2025, since the Secretary had apparently withdrawn his recommendation to work and live in Auroville.

Satprem set up and is deeply involved with the Auroville Earth Institute (AVEI), which has become one of the world’s foremost centres for excellence in earthen architecture, and a leader in the research, development, promotion and transfer of earth-based building technologies.

Work is now going on apace to finish the Crown road, using RCC slabs rather than the paver blocks which were first experimented with. However, a study by the Auroville Earth Institute concludes that “The new road surfacing design approved by the Auroville Town Development Council appointed by the secretary for the surfacing of this road does not follow any Indian standard.

Akash Nandkumar, an Auroville volunteer, left his body on October 13th. Akash first came to attend Auroville’s Swadharma programme in July-August 2018, and afterwards continued to live in Auroville, developing Hempcrete which became his life’s passion, working with the Auroville Earth Institute and others pioneering the difficult research and development work.

Knowing the end approaches He asks what we should all ask – What would I truly wish to do With the rest of my life? How do I make my time on this planet count?

Auroville’s grocery outlets have begun to be stocked with an all-new collection of hemp-based products. Hempseed oil, hemp flour, and hemp hearts have hit the shelves thanks to Hemplanet, an Auroville unit that aims to promote the use of a wide array of hemp derivatives and eventually begin hemp cultivation in Auroville.

I wonder if this is a shared rationale, and whether being exposed from a young age to a dynamic and participatory learning environment is conducive to engaging in creating such opportunities.

Following Jorge Ayarza’s presentation on Makerspace at YouthLink a couple of months ago, we spoke to him about the makerspace concept, the Open Source movement and access to renewable energies, that are radically transforming the world as we know it.

In response to complaints about poor road quality, the Auroville Earth Institute has clarified that the poured earth concrete road stretch between Certitude and the Solar Kitchen roundabout was made hastily as it had to be opened before the visit of the Prime Minister.

On 29th of December, the 50th anniversary planning team gave an update to the community on planned events. Among other events, there will be a water ceremony after the early morning meditation on 28th February 2018, in the Amphitheatre.

Economic growth cannot be the only raison d’être of our economy.

Recently, exchange visits took place between Auroville and the neighbouring village of Annainagar. Ain Contractor, a volunteer with Auroville Village Action, describes the event.

The Auroville Earth Institute (AVEI) managed by Satprem (founder), Lara, and Iyappan is internationally known as a centre for excellence in earthen architecture.

On September 8th, the Auroville community, in a public gathering at the Unity Pavilion, bade farewell to the members of the Governing Board whose term of office ends on October 28th.

My experience of Auroville started in August 2013, as an intern at the Auroville Earth Institute. For six months, I had the chance to lead a research project on a promising new technology for construction, Poured Earth Concrete.