We shall implement the master plan as designed by the Mother

Q/When you took over, what was your idea of Auroville, and how has it changed under you?

- LAKSHMI SUBRAMANIAN

A/ I am not new to Sri Aurobindo's philosophy. I had the privilege, way back in 2009, of working under Prof Kireet Joshi, IAS, who was the adviser to the chief minister of Gujarat. He had an inner calling and came to the ashram, gave up everything, and was with the Mother till she breathed her last. He worked with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Murli Manohar Joshi, and then became adviser to our current PM. He is the person who drafted the Auroville Act.

So, he had told me about all the things happening here, and how the Mother's vision of the city had to be built. He passed away in 2014. He had taught me to read Life Divine, a book by Aurobindo. It is very tough for somebody to read and understand Aurobindo, even for an intelligent person, because everything he writes is very dense.

So when I came here I knew the vision of this place was about manifesting a city, which is not like any other city where there is a lot of commercialism. It would be the most beautiful, functional, economically sufficient city. It will also have a soul and a heart.