The Governing Board

The Governing Board consists of seven members nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons who have,

• rendered valuable service to Auroville;
• dedicated themselves to the ideals of life-long education synthesis of material and spiritual research or human unity;
• contributed significantly in activities that are being pursued or are envisaged to be promoted in Auroville, including activities relating to the environment, afforestation, arts and crafts, industry, agriculture, humanities, sciences and integral yoga and of two representatives of the Central Government itself.

The members, who do not live in Auroville, hold office for a period of 4 years. The Governing Board meets at least twice a year in Auroville.

The Central Government, vide Ministry of Human Resource Development’s nominated new members of the Governing Board.

S.O. 4093(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 11 read with Section 12, of the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988 (54 of 1988), the Central Government hereby nominates the following persons as members of the Governing Board of the Auroville Foundation for a period of four years w.e.f the date of this notification:

Chairman

Shri R.N. Ravi, Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu and Chairman of Auroville Foundation

Tenure: 06-10-2021 to 05-10-2025

Thiru. Ravindra Narayan Ravi born at Patna in Bihar did his Masters in Physics in 1974. After a brief stint in journalism, he joined the Indian Police Service in 1976 and was allotted to the Kerala Cadre. He served in Kerala in various capacities including Districts for over a decade and then in different parts of the country in various capacities. While serving in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), he led several anti-corruption crusades against organised criminal gangs including the mining mafias in the country. Read More

Members

• Shri K. Kailashnathan, I.A.S., (Retd.) Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and Governing Board Member of Auroville Foundation
• Dr Nirima Oza, Professor, D/o Oral Pathology, Mahatma Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry and Governing Board Member of Auroville Foundation
• Shri Aravindan Neelakandan Writer and Journalist, Tamil Nadu and Governing Board Member of Auroville Foundation
• Professor Goutam Ghosal Course – Coordinator of English Department, Biswa Bangla Biswabidyalay (A State University), Former Professor and Head of the English Department, Visva-Bharati (A Central University) & Governing Board Member of Auroville Foundation
• Professor R. S. Sarraju Pro Vice-Chancellor, Former Head of the Department of Hindi and presently Head of Centre for Dalit, Adivasi and Translation Studies, University of Hyderabad and Governing Board Member of Auroville Foundation
• Professor Nandana Gurappa Basappa, Department of PG Studies in Political Science, Karnataka University, Dharward and Governing Board Member of Auroville Foundation
• Smt Neeta Prasad, Joint Secretary (ICC), Ministry of Education, Government of India and Member (Ex-Officio)

Shri Sanjog Kapoor, Joint Secretary & Finance Advisor, Ministry of Education, Government of India and Member (Ex-Officio)

Previous Governing Boards

Last updated on 8 October 2024

Other entities involved in the development of Auroville include:

• The International Advisory Council - Advises the Governing Board on management and development. The council is usually made up of five people from different countries.
• Residents' Assembly - Made up of all Auroville residents over 18, the assembly organizes activities, creates the master plan, and makes recommendations.
• Working Committee - Assists the Residents' Assembly and the Governing Board.
• Secretary to the Foundation - Appointed by the Government of India, the Secretary resides in Auroville.

• Dr. Karan Singh, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & former President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations
• Dr Aster Mira Patel, Member, The Residents’ Assembly, Auroville Foundation, Auroville
• Dr Prema Nandkumar, a famous independent researcher, translator, critic, and authoress who writes in Tamil and English
• Professor Sachidanand Mohanty, Former Vice Chancellor Central University of Orissa and Former Professor and Head, Department of English, University of Hyderabad.
• Dr Anirban Ganguly, Director Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, New Delhi
• Dr K. Parameswaran, Associate Professor of Law & Former Dean of Academic Affairs, Gujarat National Law University
• Sri M. Madan Gopal, IAS (Retd.), former Additional Chief Secretary Department of Forests, Environment and Ecology, Government of Karnataka. 
• Shri Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, Director, Vastu Shilpa Foundation, Ahmedabad
• Dr Mallika Sarabhai, Director, Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, Ahmedabad
• Ms Ameeta Mehra, Director, The Gnostic Centre, Gurgaon
• Shri Y.S.V.S Murthy, Secretary, Sri Aurobindo Centre, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
• Shri Yogendra Tripathi, Ex-officio, Ministry of Human Resource Development
• Shri Amit Khare, Representative of Central Government
• Mr Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Maharaja of Puri;
• Dr M.S. Swaminathan (ex-chairman), Chairman M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation;
• Dr Malini Parthasarathy, Director, The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy  
• Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, former Academic Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts;
• Mrs. Bilkees Latif, Chairman Andra Pradesh Social Welfare Board;
• Late Mr. Ajoy Bagchi, Director People's Commission on Environment and Development (PCED);
• Mr N. Krishnan, former member of the executive board of UNESCO;
• Sri Keshav Desiraju, I.A.S., Joint Secretary (UNESCO), Ministry of HRD, GoI, joined the Board in the beginning of 2006.
• Late Prof. V. Madhusudan Reddy, Chairman of the Institute of Future Studies;
• Late Mrs Shantadevi Malwad, writer;
• Late Mr Roger Anger (Chief Architect of Auroville);
• Lt. Gen. (retd.) Ashok Chatterjee, resident member of Auroville.

Representatives of the Central Government have included

• Mr. Sudeep Bannerjee;
• Mr. S.R. Tayal;
• Mr Sudhir Nath.
• Late Mr. Kireet Joshi (ex-chairman), former Registrar Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Chairman Indian Council for Philosophical Research;
• Dr. D.P. Chattopadhyaya, Chairman Centre of Studies of Civilisations, and former Union Cabinet Minister;
• Late Dr. L.M. Singhvi, MP, eminent jurist and member of Indian Parliament, former Indian High Commissioner in the UK;
• Dr. Subhash C. Kashyap, former Secretary General, Loksabha;
• Shri V.K. Pipersenia, IAS, Joint Secretary & Financial Adviser, Dept of Secondary Education and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development;
• Shri C. Balakrishnan, IAS, Joint Secretary, (Planning & UNESCO) Dept of Secondary Education and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development;
• Mrs. Jyothi Madhok;
• Late Prof. Meera Srivastava.