The Auroville Foundation

The Auroville Foundation Act created a separate legal entity, the Auroville Foundation, with three authorities: the Governing Board, the International Advisory Council and the Residents' Assembly. The Act also specifies that there will be a Secretary.

The Governing Board           

The Governing Board consists of seven members to be 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 researches 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 general management of the affairs of the Foundation is vested in the Governing Board. Its task is to promote the ideals of Auroville, to review and approve basic policies and programmes, to secure the proper management of all properties, to prepare the master plan and co-ordinate fundraising. Most of these functions are executed in consultation with the Residents' Assembly.

The present members (April 2003) of the Governing Board are: Mr. Kireet Joshi (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; Dr. L.M. Singhvi, MP, eminent jurist and member of Indian Parliament, former Indian High Commissioner in the UK; Dr. Subhash C. Kashyap, former Cabinet Secretary Government of India; 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; Mr. Roger Anger, chief architect of Auroville; Mrs. Jyothi Madhok; Prof. Meera Srivastava.

Former members include: Dr. Karan Singh (ex-chairman), member Rajya Sabha; Mr. Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, Maharaja of Puri; Dr. M.S. Swaminathan (ex-chairman), Chairman M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation; Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, former Academic Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts; Mrs. Bilkees Latif, Chairman Andra Pradesh Social Welfare Board; Mr. Ajoy Bagchi, Director People's Commission on Environment and Development (PCED); Mr. N. Krishnan, former member of the executive board of UNESCO; late Prof. V. Madhusudan Reddy, Chairman of the Institute of Future Studies; Mrs. Shantadevi Malwad, writer; Mrs. Aster Patel, resident member 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.

The Residents' Assembly and the Working Committee

Auroville's Residents' Assembly consists of all the residents of Auroville aged eighteen years and above. The powers of the Residents' Assembly are to advise the Governing Board and to make proposals for approval by the Governing Board. It also has the power to grant and terminate the right to residence in Auroville. The Act prescribes that a Working Committee of the Residents' Assembly shall assist the Residents' Assembly and the Governing Board in discharging their duties under the Act. The Residents' Assembly chooses a Working Committee of not more than 7 members from time to time. The Residents Assembly itself determines the method of selection and the term of office of the Working Committee. 

The International Advisory Council

The International Advisory Council of the Auroville Foundation consists of not more than five members, nominated by the Central Government from persons who in its opinion are devoted to the ideals of human unity, peace and progress. The terms of office are decided from time to time by the Central Government. The members of the International Advisory Council meet once a year in Auroville. 

The powers of the International Advisory Council are advisory only. When giving advice to the Governing Board, the Council  endeavours to ensure that the ideals for which Auroville has been established are encouraged, and that the residents of Auroville are allowed the freedom to grow and develop activities and institutions which further the aspirations and programmes envisaged in the Charter of Auroville. 

The members of the present International Advisory Council are: Mr. Kireet Joshi (chairman); Ms. Mary E. King, President Global Action, Inc., Washington; Dr. A.T. Aryaratne, President Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka; Prof. Norman Myers, CMG, environmentalist, recently joined by Mr. Bernard F. de Montferrand, Ambassador, Embassy of France, New Delhi. 

Former members include: Mr. Maurice Strong, former Secretary-General UNCED; Dr. Ervin Laszlo, Director World Future; the late Mr. J.R.D. Tata, foremost Indian industrialist; Snr. Federico Mayor, Director General of UNESCO; Mr. Bertrand Schneider, Secretary General of the Club of Rome; Mrs. Hanne Strong, President Manitou Foundation; late Mr. Nani Palkhivala, eminent Indian lawyer; and Prof. Amartya Sen, Indian Nobel laureate and economist. 

The Secretary

For the day-to-day management of the Foundation, the Central Government appoints a Secretary who is responsible to the Chairman of the Governing Board. The Secretary is a high-level officer from the Indian Administrative Service or a similar organisation. The Secretary lives in Auroville. The present Secretary is Mr. N. Bala Baskar, I.A.S. (In October '01 Mr. Bala Baskar's term came to an end. His successor is, as yet, unknown.) Previous secretaries were Mr. L.K. Tripathy, I.A.S. and Dr. S.C. De, I.P.S.

General details

Auroville Foundation Rules 

The Central Government has notified the Auroville Foundation Rules for carrying out the provisions of the Auroville Foundation Act.

Head Office of the Auroville Foundation
The Head Office of the Auroville Foundation is:
Auroville Foundation, 
Bharat Nivas, 
Auroville 605101, 
Tamil Nadu, India. 
Phone: **91 (0)413 622.222/622.414
e-mail: avfoundation@auroville.org.in

Tax exempt status of the Auroville Foundation
The Auroville Foundation is exempted from income tax under section 10 (23C) of the Income Tax Act 1961.
Indian donations towards the Foundation's scientific and educational research avail of 100% tax exemption under section 35 (i)(ii) and (iii) of the Income Tax Act 1961.

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976
The Auroville Foundation is allowed to receive foreign grants and donations under number 076010053, Government of India/letter # II/21022/67/(210)91 FCRA III dated 22.9.'93.

Bank account for Foreign Contributions
All foreign grants and donations to units of the Auroville Foundation are to be received on account #01000060095 of Auroville Fund with the State Bank of India, Auroville International Township Branch, Auroville 605101.

Auroville Foundation Accounts
The accounts of the Foundation are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Structure of the units of the Auroville Foundation

The Auroville Foundation consists of commercial units dedicated to the promotion of the ideals of Auroville, of non-commercial units called 'service-units' dedicated to the internal functioning of Auroville, and of units dedicated to the uplifting of the population living in the villages surrounding Auroville. 

The Auroville Foundation has separated these activities. All commercial activities are carried out in business trusts. The service units are integral parts of the Auroville Foundation. The units dedicated to village work are also organised in separate trusts. These trusts are recognised as non-governmental organisations. 

Appraisal of the Auroville Foundation

After a period of over 10 years, and having passed through the difficulties of accepting a Governing Board and its Secretary who hold the 'legal' powers, Auroville has come to terms with the Auroville Foundation. The Governing Board is now seen as one other instrument to promote the development of Auroville. The creation of the Auroville Foundation is generally judged as positive, and many Aurovilians are grateful that the Indian Government has passed this special Act for Auroville. The Foundation has given a clear uniform legal status to Auroville. The unique income tax exempt status and a special visa policy are examples of the type of advantages that the Foundation has brought.