Sri Aurobindo Integral Education in Orissa

1. The operational base of Integral Education activity in Orissa are the centres named as Sri Aurobindo Study Circle. Such centres, each independent of the other, conduct regular studies of the literature of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. The first two Study Circles in Orissa were established with the permission of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother in the year 1949 and 1950, one at Rairangpur(of Mayurbhanj district) and other at the residence of Sri Lalit Mohan Ghose, Bhasakos lane in the city of Cuttack.

2. Babaji Maharaj Sri Ramakrishna Das who had arrived at the Ashram, from Ayodhya in 1945 and Prof Kangali Charan Pati( Prapatti- as the Mother fondly named him) from Orissa in 1954, took up this work of organizing these Sri Aurobindo Study Circles with the permission of The Mother. Thus very rapidly an awareness of Sri Aurobindo's thought spread to the length and breadth of the state. The number of these centres currently stand at. Some of them are Registered Societies, some are Registered Trusts where as most are unregistered but serious centres developing the courage of conviction in the profound Truth of Sri Aurobindo's thought and vision. Some registered centres possess land ranging from few decimles to several hundred acres. Around 65 such centres have Sri Aurobindo's Sacred Relics installed as Shrines of vibrating inspiration of His profound philosophy which in the Mother's Words is one that aims "not at renouncing life but making life perfect with a divine perfection"…which "India has to show to the World now". The people of Orissa have been ignited with a luminous hope to participate in the great Change, the great Seer has declared.

3. At a stage, during the early seventies of the last century there arose a further urge to give a concrete shape to and translate this Integral Philosophy in life. There appeared to Prapatti four doors to enter- namely Education, Politics, Agriculture and Commerce. Placing it at The Mother's Feet he was instructed to "enter" through "Education". Thus was founded the base of opening 'Sri Aurobindo Institutes of Integral Education' under the auspices of the Sri Aurobindo Study Circles. Members of these centres visiting Sri Aurobindo Ashram regularly, observed the "Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education". They were inspired to start educational centres akin to this in Orissa. The first School was founded in 1970.Sri Rama Krishna Das and Prapatti provided the required guidance and supervision. In spite of numerous pitfalls and challenges many Sri Aurobindo Study Circles, especially the registered ones with landed property, launched into the establishment of these 'Integral Schools' attempting at their level best to impart education in the way envisaged by the Mother and Sri Aurobindo- taking it as a cogent means of translating the philosophy of integral yoga into actuality in the society.

Sri Aurobindo Integral Schools

There are about 66000 students, 5000 brothers and sisters in Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Centres in Orissa