Awards

In recognition of the exemplary work being carried out by Auroville in several of her fields of activity, Auroville has received the following national and international awards over the years:

• February 2007: EM Award for Aurovilian

  Dear Aurovilians, I would like to share with ALL of you the award I have received on Friday February 23, 2007 with a standing ovation at the EM International Partners Conference in Kansas City - US for "A life dedicated to Social Responsibility with EM". The award was given to me after unanimous voting of the delegates (from 40 countries) that attended the Conference representing North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
  The award represents my contribution towards eradication of Malaria in communities of West Bengal-India and Trichloroethylene remediation (soil & water) with Philips-India. Dr. Sivaram Pillai, CEO of SCD-EM, USA received the award on my behalf (I was not there) and is bringing it to me in Auroville.
  I feel proud not for this award but I feel proud of the people and organizations that trust me, support me, listen to me, and help me to continue my research. In the end, it is this that is actually receiving the international recognition. 
  This year, the eradication of malaria programme has been extended from 6,000 to 20,000 people in the foothills of the Sub-Himalayan range.
  Love to all, Margarita – Creativity

• 2005: Auroville architect Jana Dreikhausen won a significant award at an International Conference on Ecological Architecture and Environment in the Tropics held in Semarang, Indonesia, for integrating the full range of (then) known sustainable building concepts into a single innovative design, in the form of a residential house in Auroville.
  

• 2005: Upasana Design Studio won an “Award of Excellence” certificate in Delhi for their innovative and highly successful Tsunamika doll project, on the occasion of the 12 th Annual Convocation Day of India's Ministry of Textiles-sponsored National Institute for Fashion Technology.
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• 2004: AuroRE Projects and Services wins the award for Enterprise (£30,000) for its great triumph in acting as a catalyst for small-scale solar businesses across India, helping this vast country start to unlock its huge potential for solar power. In the words of one of the judges: "These are the guys who make solar happen". read more >>
  

• 2003: Editions Auroville Press International unit won an award for its inspiring "Genius of India" video, based on a slide presentation shown widely around India, and acclaimed both by India's then Prime Minister and Home Minister, in the 14th University Grant Commission's annual educational video competition, held in cooperation with the National Open School, New Delhi, for 'The Best Programme of the Year'.
  

• 1999: The Auroville Building Centre received the Gold Medal from the India Trade Promotion Organisation, New Delhi, for "Excellence in presentation of special display on Build Tech pavilion 1999 - New Delhi" The medal was awarded for a disaster resistant house, which was built in 66 hours during the India International Trade Fair 9
  

• 1997: The Auroville Centre for Scientific Research was nominated Best NGO in the Renewable Energy Sector in India by the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), New Delhi, on the occasion of its "Decade of Service" celebrations.
  
• 1996: The Club of Budapest adopted the Auroville project to "become humanity's first universal city, the shared treasure of all nations and people (...) dedicated to the evolution of human consciousness toward planetary unity."
  
• 1996: Outstanding Performance Award for the Best Building Centre through Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), New Delhi, from the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Government of India.
  
• 1995: We the Peoples 50 Communities award in the category of Human Settlements on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations.
  
• 1995: Outstanding Performance Award for the Best Building Centre through Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), New Delhi, from the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Government of India. The Auroville Building Centre form part of a network of 400 building centres set up by HUDCO all over India for the promotion of appropriate building technologies.
  
• 1992: Hassan Fathi International Award for Architecture for the Poor  from the Society for the Revival of Planning and Architectural Heritage, Cairo, Egypt, for the construction of the Auroville Visitors' Centre, where cost-effective earth and ferrocement technologies have beenapplied in a public building.