Research park of IIT-Madras, Innovation Hub to be established in Auroville

The establishment of a research park of the IIT-Madras and a Centrally-supported Innovation Hub in Auroville were among the new projects discussed at a meeting of the Governing Board of Auroville Foundation on Thursday.

According to a press note, the 68th meeting of the Auroville Foundation governing board, convened under its chairman and Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, noted that “the establishment of a new IIT campus on Auroville land will foster research, education, and entrepreneurial initiatives, driving economic growth and social development in the region.”

The sole IIT-M Research Park in Chennai has been conceived as an innovation hub for academia and industry that is equipped with labs, testing facilities and incubators, to transform start-up ideas into real-world applications.

The meeting, which was attended by K. Kailashnathan, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor and governing board member, Jayanthi S. Ravi, Secretary of the Auroville Foundation, and other board members, discussed the progress of various projects, addressing challenges impeding their implementation and the future development of the universal township. It also took several key decisions relating to the social, economic, and environmental development of Auroville, the press note said.

In addition to the IIT-M facility, which ties in with Auroville’s commitment to innovation and advances its ongoing partnerships with leading institutions, the proposed Innovation Hub, supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, will empower young innovators and entrepreneurs, according to the press note.

In the governing board’s assessment, the Innovation Hub, with an allocation of ₹2.5 crore from the Auroville Foundation and a matching contribution from NITI Aayog, will nurture creativity, foster job creation, and contribute to the region’s economic vitality.

The press note said that Auroville was “poised to realise the Crown project, a significant milestone after the Matrimandir”. The project will bring together all parts of the city, designed to accommodate 50,000 people, in a harmonious circle and revolutionise sustainable mobility, reducing pollution and promoting energy-efficient transportation.

“The Crown Road will seamlessly integrate with the Green Belt and its neighbouring areas, creating a holistic and eco-friendly urban environment,” the press note mentioned.

Auroville has also issued an appeal to individuals and organisations to join hands in contributing to various initiatives, such as volunteering, donating, or partnering on projects, and help shape a better future for Auroville and its surrounding communities.

Aravindan Neelakandan, Goutam Ghosal, R.S. Sarraju, and Nirima Oza, governing board members participated.

Later, the members distributed relief packages to villagers in the bio-region most affected by Cyclone Fengal.

The governing board members also paid floral tributes to the statue of Sri Aurobindo in Savitri Bhavan in Auroville on the occasion of his ‘Mahasamadhi’.