‘Auroville in Crisis & the Way Forward’
An independent report by international experts
Since its inception, Auroville has made diverse efforts in the neighbouring villages and bioregion to weave together a common aspiration for human unity through community development. The aim is to bring together all sections of society, irrespective of caste, cultural background, gender and nationality, through a participatory and integral approach.
Auroville now anchors over 50 bioregional community development initiatives in the fields of environment, education, health, social enterprise, financial inclusion, infrastructure, capacity building, leadership and cultural preservation.
An independent report by international experts
At a time when Auroville faces its greatest governance challenge in 56 years, a group of international experts and supporters has produced what may be the most comprehensive analysis yet of the current crisis. Released in January 2025, this landmark 64-page report not only documents the extent of recent disruptions to Auroville’s functioning but also charts a clear path toward resolution.
A subgroup of the Auroville Global Fellowship (AGF), a network of over fifty international experts and supporters who have contributed significantly in fields related to Auroville’s evolutionary ideals, spent over seven months conducting an extensive review of over 2,000 pages of documentation to create this thorough analysis.
Comprehensive research and documentation
The report, titled ‘Auroville in Crisis & The Way Forward’, draws from multiple sources including communications from the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly, Governing Board Minutes, International Advisory Council statements, interviews with individuals who worked with both previous and current administrations, and extensive legal documentation.
Through careful analysis of this evidence, the AGF identifies systematic violations in six key areas: governance, financial management, planning and development, communications, safety and security, and impact on local communities. It details how the current administration has departed dramatically from decades of precedent in its authoritarian reinterpretation and implementation of the Auroville Foundation Act.
Pattern of violations
The report documents a pattern of actions that violate both spiritual principles and legal frameworks. According to the report, the administration that took control in 2021 “overthrew these values and replaced them with ones that are antithetical to them”. The authors emphasize that many of the documented actions “are not just a matter of contravening universal moral, ethical and spiritual standards… A disturbing number of them also violate Indian law.”
One of the most serious findings concerns recent land exchanges that have resulted in massive financial losses for Auroville – estimated at over 240 crore rupees (US$28 million). These transactions were carried out with “complete opacity, lack of proper process and due diligence, and lack of consultation”. The report details how these exchanges have already impacted working farms, threatened food security, and undermined decades of careful land stewardship.
The report details the systematic dismantling of Auroville’s participatory governance structure through forceful takeovers of working groups, dismissal of experienced executives without cause, censorship of communications, and various forms of retaliation against residents who raise concerns. The administration has rejected or simply ignored multiple court rulings and “persists in unilateral, unaccountable decision-making”.
Environmental and bioregional destruction
The report’s analysis of environmental and bioregional impacts highlights a concerning departure from Auroville’s long-standing commitment to integral development. The authors emphasize how the administration’s actions undermine decades of careful work that has made Auroville an internationally recognized model for sustainable urban-rural development.
The report documents critical damage to vital water catchment systems without proper environmental assessments. This impacts not only Auroville’s ecosystem but also threatens the water security of surrounding villages that have depended on these carefully managed aquifers for five decades. Additionally, the authors detail the removal of thousands of trees, including ongoing indiscriminate cutting of protected species that legally require special permission before removal. This continuing destruction ignores both environmental regulations and the ecological significance of Auroville’s carefully regenerated forests.
The administration’s actions have also fundamentally disrupted Auroville’s relationship with its bioregion. Local employment has suffered as outside contractors replace trained local workers, while archaeological sites containing two-millennium-old artifacts have been bulldozed, destroying irreplaceable Tamil cultural heritage.
The report emphasizes that these actions not only violate environmental regulations but also squander India’s investment in Auroville as a proving ground for sustainable development. The authors assert that responsible development remains both possible and essential, but must preserve both natural resources and social fabric while maintaining Auroville’s role as a model for India’s future.
“Although the Master Plan perspective 2025 provides a time horizon of 25 years, it will neither be traditional nor static and rigid. […] The present momentum in Development and Environmental activities will be strengthened through a participatory Environmental Management process which will be integrated within all development, planning and urban design elements.”
– The Auroville Master Plan (Perspective 2025) document, gazetted in 2010
A practical path forward
While the picture painted by the report is sobering, its authors have not stopped at documenting the crisis. They also offer a detailed possible roadmap for crisis resolution. At its core are three essential outcomes needed for Auroville’s positive future, each supported by specific action steps and requirements.
First is the restoration of operational balance among the three statutory bodies of the Auroville Foundation – the Governing Board, Residents’ Assembly, and International Advisory Council. This requires rekindling the principles of fidelity, respect, and mutuality that successfully guided all previous administrations over three decades.
Second is a collaborative updating of the Master Plan. While the current plan provides a broad conceptual framework, it is only meant to “serve as a guide in the preparation of five year Development Plans and Annual Plans” before development proposals can be implemented. Moreover, it needs significant revision to address today’s realities – from climate challenges to evolving best practices in sustainable urban development. The report emphasises that this revision must emerge through genuine collaboration between planning experts and the community.
Third is the implementation of internal self-governance reforms led by the Residents’ Assembly. The report acknowledges past challenges in Auroville’s governance while calling for a transparent assessment leading to positive structural changes. This represents an opportunity, the authors note, to strengthen Auroville’s unique experiment in collective decision-making.
Creating conditions for success
The AGF report is explicit about the conditions required for successful implementation of these reforms. First and foremost, it calls for the cessation of all coercive measures currently directed at Auroville residents, including “actions involving the filing of false or frivolous criminal cases, spreading false narratives, delaying or suspending visa renewals, censoring freedom of speech, threatening people’s homes and livelihoods, and maintaining control of Auroville’s funds and assets without consultation”.
Only then, the report argues, can the necessary “atmosphere of trust, confidence, safety, and openness” be created for collaborative problem-solving. Four specific steps are outlined: a renewed commitment to the Auroville Foundation Act’s principles, cessation of all confrontational measures, reaffirmation of core values, and the establishment of sincere dialogue between all parties.
India's crucial role
The report places special emphasis on India’s unique position in supporting Auroville’s mission. “Alone among nations,” it states, “it is India that has allowed and nurtured the birth and growth of Auroville on its soil. It has done so for more than half a century. Only India has the capacity to truly understand and appreciate this bold experiment, which is rooted in its ancient tradition while pointing humankind and the community of nations toward the future.”
The authors call for “an enlightened intervention by the Government of India through its Ministry of Education” to help establish the conditions necessary for successful resolution of the crisis.
At a crossroads
The report’s release comes at a critical juncture in Auroville’s history. Its thorough documentation – including testimonials from distinguished supporters – provides an essential resource for understanding both the current crisis and the way forward.
As Auroville approaches this critical crossroads, the report stands as both a warning and a beacon of hope. It demonstrates that solutions exist and that, with proper support and intervention, Auroville can not only survive this crisis but emerge stronger in its mission to serve as a living laboratory for human unity.
The report concludes with a powerful vision: “As these actions take effect, Auroville will thrive in its mission to evolve individual and collective consciousness, fully embodying the spiritual vision of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo. The values of its Charter will guide Auroville’s governance and daily life, with all parties mentioned in the Auroville Foundation Act dedicated to translating its founding vision into reality and manifesting Auroville as a beacon of hope from India to the world.”
Circulating the report
Prior to its public release, representatives of the Auroville Global Fellowship shared this landmark report with selected officials and diplomats in India and abroad. The AGF has now invited residents and wellwishers to help distribute the document widely, emphasizing that broad awareness of both the crisis and its potential solutions is crucial for positive change.
The complete report, including its six detailed annexures and a map of the area, can be viewed by visiting https://tinyurl.com/AVCrisisReport. All those concerned about Auroville’s future are invited to read the document and share it within their networks – whether academic, diplomatic, or cultural – so that this thorough analysis and its practical recommendations can reach those who can help shape positive change.
Extracted from Voice of Auroville,
Issue 08, March 2025
