ABOUT RENAISSANCE

It is not by books that Sri Aurobindo ought to be studied but by subjects—what he has said on the Divine, on Unity, on religion, on evolution, on education, on self-perfection, on supermind, etc., etc.

– The Mother (CWM, Vol. 12, p. 206)

Guided by the above advice from the Mother, we aim to bring to the readers thoughtfully selected pearls of deep wisdom from the oceanic writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother on a variety of themes. Published by Sri Aurobindo Society, Renaissance is a monthly online journal with special focus on India’s Rebirth through Integral Yoga.

Featuring inspiring content in the light of Sri Aurobindo’s vision for India and her role in the future of humanity, Renaissance journal aims to highlight numerous forms in which the eternal spirit of India is being reborn and renewed. We invite our readers to explore this site and discover inspiring articles, long form essays, stories, videos, reflections and accounts of India and her creative genius manifesting in various domains – spiritual, artistic, literary, philosophic, scientific, aesthetic.

The highlight of each issue remains curated selections from the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother according to the month’s special focus. Without altering anything from the original texts of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, we slightly reformat the paragraphs or add a few sub-headings if necessary, keeping in consideration preferences of today’s readers and the requirements of a digital presentation. 

READ: How to Read Sri Aurobindo and Get Answers from Him

Speaking of the vaster and deeper significance of a new rebirth of India, Sri Aurobindo wrote more than a hundred years ago:

Taking inspiration from these words we also bring thought-provoking ideas, insightful voices, and fresh perspectives on diverse topics and issues concerning India – her past, present, but most importantly, her future.  

One of our objectives is to bring to light selected writings, talks and correspondences of some of the early sadhaks of Integral Yoga, and of scholar-practitioners who dedicated their lives to the work of studying and disseminating Sri Aurobindo’s and the Mother’s vision and teachings. Many of these writings are selected from the archives of Sri Aurobindo Circle, Mother India and other publications of Sri Aurobindo Ashram and related institutions. We also feature selections from various compilations of talks and correspondences with Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

Taken up with deep love and reverence for Mother India, this work is an expression of our aspiration for a new, brighter future for our motherland, one that is in harmony with her innate genius. We offer it at the feet of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother

~ In gratitude, 
Beloo Mehra (for Renaissance Editorial Team)

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Publisher

Sri Aurobindo Society
Society House No. 11, St. Martin Street,
Puducherry – 605 001, India

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Editorial Team

Managing Editor: Shri Vijay Poddar
Member Executive, Sri Aurobindo Society

Vijay Poddar grew up at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, since the age of 7, under the grace and care of the Mother, completing all his education at the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education. As a pillar of Sri Aurobindo Society, he has initiated many projects in a bid to take forward Society’s vision and aim. He is Member Executive for Administration & Finance at the Society, and also the Director of Sri Aurobindo Institute for Research in Social Science. 

Contact: Email: <vijay@aurosociety.org>
Sri Aurobindo Society, 11, St. Martin Street, Puducherry 605001

Editor: Dr. Beloo Mehra 
Senior Academic Mentor, Sri Aurobindo Society (2019 – present) 

With a PhD in Education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, and a Master’s in Economics from Delhi School of Economics, Dr. Beloo Mehra has more than two decades of experience in designing curricula, teaching, researching and guiding research scholars at the higher education level, both in the US and in India.

Having deep interest in Sri Aurobindo’s and Mother’s vision and work on Integral Education, Indian culture, social-cultural evolution, yoga and spirituality, she writes regularly in various journals dedicated to Sri Aurobindo’s vision and works. A regular writer and curator for Sri Aurobindo’s Action journal, she is currently working on a book based on a series she wrote for this journal for three years.

Her recent book titled ‘Understanding Contemporary India in the Light of Sri Aurobindo‘ (2022) was published by AuroPublications, SAS. Her other recently published works include eBooks titled ‘Indian Literary Tradition in the Light of Sri Aurobindo’ and ‘Toward a New Renaissance: Cultivating Soul-Values’ (both published by Auropublications, SAS); a research monograph titled ‘The Spiritual Foundations of Indian Culture’ (published by Sri Aurobindo Center of Advanced Research); a book chapter titled ‘Sri Aurobindo, the Revolutionary Nationalist’ included in ‘Sri Aurobindo: an Extraordinary Phenomenon’, a commemorative volume published by SACAR; a research monograph titled ‘Rethinking India’s Education for Tomorrow’, published in Shraddha, a quarterly journal published from Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Kolkata.

Contact: <beloo.mehra@aurosociety.org>
Sri Aurobindo Society, Society House, 11, St. Martin Street, Puducherry 605001

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Editorial Board Members

  • Shri M. S. Srinivasan, Senior Research Fellow, Sri Aurobindo Society

M.S. Srinivasan has a degree in Electrical and Electronics engineering. He has worked in technical and supervisory positions in various governments, private and non-governmental organizations, interspersed with periods of fulltime spiritual quest in various parts of India. He joined Sri Aurobindo Society in 1991 as a Research Associate, pursuing studies and research in various fields of knowledge as a part of the spiritual discipline for inner development. 

The main theme of his studies and research is to evolve an integral-spiritual approach to human development and its application to various fields of knowledge and activities of life with a dominant interest and focus on Management, Psychology, Social Sciences and Indian Culture.  Many of his writings can be found at Integral Musings and Fourth Dimension Inc. Towards Integral Management.  He has also published many articles on management and related subjects in various management and professional journals.

Contact: Email: <srinivasan@aurosociety.org>
Address: Sri Aurobindo Society, Society House, 11, St. Martin Street, Puducherry 605001

  • Dr. Alok Pandey, Member, Research Advisory Council, Sri Aurobindo Society

Dr. Alok Pandey is a most prolific and well-known authority on the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. An eloquent speaker, he has conducted workshops in India and abroad on yoga, education, health and psychology. A retired Wing Commander from the Indian Air Force, he has worked as Professor at Institute of Space and Aviation Medicine, Bangalore and Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences.

Currently based at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, he is associated with Sri Aurobindo Society as Editor of All India Magazine, and as Editor of NAMAH, a journal dedicated to the cause of an integral approach to psychology, health and medicine, since its inception in April 1993. Some of his published books include Death, Dying and BeyondVeda of the BodyThe Divine Feminine and Patients at the Crossroads.

Contact: Email: <taijasalok@yahoo.co.in>
Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry 605002

  • Dr. Richa Tiwari, Chair of Sri Aurobindo, Pondicherry University

Dr. Richa Tiwari holds the Chair of Sri Aurobindo at Pondicherry University. She did her PhD in Political Science from University of Rajasthan and is currently an Assistant professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies at Pondicherry University. She has a double Master’s degree – in Political Science from Rajasthan, and then in Philosophy and Social Theory from University of Warwick, UK. She teaches courses in Political Science Theory, Indian and Western Political Thinkers, and Indian Constitution.

In addition to several articles, she has authored a book titled Political Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo: Nationalism and Internationalism. Deeply inspired by Sri Aurobindo’s vision and thought, she has consecrated her life to the study and practice of Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga.

Contact: Email: <richatiwari38@gmail.com>
Department of Politics and International Studies, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry – 605014

  • Dr. Shaurya Brahmbhatt, Assistant Professor, Department of English, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara

Dr. Brahmbhatt has the privilege and blessing to be part of the same Faculty of Arts which was the erstwhile Baroda College where Sri Aurobindo taught English and French for many years. He also serves as the Coordinator for the university’s Centre for Sri Aurobindo Studies and Centre for Theological Studies.

With deep interest in Sri Aurobindo’s poetry, poetics and especially Savitri, Dr. Brahmbhatt is currently researching on the topic – ‘Poets of Sri Aurobindonian School of thought: Evaluating the construct and relevance of future poetry with special reference to the works of K D Sethna, Pujalal and Sundaram.’ His other publications include ‘The Destined Meeting Place of Savitri and Satyavan in Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri’ and Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri: A Journey of Inner Freedom and Development. He has in the past also served as editor for the monthly magazine Gyandeep

Contact: Email: <shaurya.b-eng@msubaroda.ac.in>
Department of English, Faculty of Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Near Kalaghoda Circle, Sayajigunj, Vadodara- 390020

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Research & Editorial Assistant: 
Narendra Murty (June 2023 to present)
Raamkumar Loganathan (November 2021 to September 2023)

Web Assistant:
Satya Murali Jayaraman (October 2023 to present)

Design Support:
Biswajita Mohapatra, Shruti Ramteke, Kavita Datta, Ramajayam, S. Bharat, Satya

Technical Support:
Karthigeyan, Surendhar, Uttam, Satya

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All photographs, writings, audio & video recordings of Sri Aurobindo, the Mother and/or the Ashram are copyright of Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust and have been reproduced with their kind permission.

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