A.K. Raman                                                           Gallery
Presently living in Center Field, Auroville.

WHEN DID YOU COME TO AUROVILLE?
Originally I come from Sanjeevinagar, a village near the Auroville township. I started working for Auroville in 1972 and joined as Aurovilian in 1977.

BACKGROUND, OR SOME INFO ON YOUR TRAINING
I have no idea how to name my training! I have learned my skills from Auroville only, like painting, sculpture, architecture, farming, and recently I have taken up filming.
I consider myself fortunate to be here.

SOME DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE OF YOUR WORK
To be simple! Auroville taught me to think, and also taught me how to keep smiling under all circumstances.

THROUGH YOUR WORK, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SEEK, OR EXPRESS?
The oneness, and the absolute. It doesn't make much difference what one does, it depends on how one does it. For my architectural work I mainly follow my instinct.

WHICH OF YOUR WORKS BEST EXPRESSES YOUR VISION, OR PHILOSOPHY?
Meeting the needs of the poor people in our immediate surrounding, because they are simply the victims of the world's present social structures. Our job as Aurovilian is to be open and see all as our fellow human beings.
Auroville is central in the fight between the old and the new world to be born. Human unity has a lot to do with it.

PLEASE GIVE SOME OVERVIEW OF THE EVOLUTION OF YOUR WORK, MILESTONES ON THE WAY
My main aim is not to leave behind any scars on the earth's beautiful natural ecological systems, and to be aware of our earth, to respect it and gracefully live on it, - and eventually quietly leave it..

WHICH ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT IN AUROVILLE OTHER THAN YOURS DO YOU APPRECIATE MOST?
Low-cost school buildings in the villages around Auroville as well as some housing within Auroville.

Raman designed and built various houses and a kindergarten in the villages in Auroville's bioregion, as well as residencies in the Aurovilian settlements Verite, New Creation Field and Aurodam.

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