Presentations by Mandikini

"Transmitting AVI France's report to the AVIs": A PowerPoint presentation of AVI France's report to the AVIs at the annual Auroville International meeting in Paris.

"Update on one year of the Acres for Auroville land campaign": A PowerPoint presentation of the high points of the A4A campaign, which was launched on Sri Aurobindo’s birthday 2014 -- just one year ago. It includes communication of our first acquisition for Auroville with A4A donor funds, future plans (A4A Phase 2 and Green Acres), and an important message from the Land Board team about a new Auroville land purchase policy.

"Remembering Jyotipriya": A PowerPoint presentation illustrating Jyotipriya’s life path and her immense contributions and influence. Includes photos of Jyotipriya from Point Loma to India to the East West Cultural Center, and excerpts of her letters to the Mother in March 1956. The presentation will conclude with recordings of Jyotipriya chanting Sanskrit mantras from ancient texts and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram that have inspired and nourished us all.

About Mandikini

Mandikini's life changed when she met Jyotipriya on August 15, 1977, at the East-West Cultural Center in Los Angeles. In February 1980, she went to the Ashram where she lived for three years, teaching in the Ashram school, drying dishes in the dining room, and working in the Ashram archives, where she initiated the two-volume Spiritual Significance of Flowers (further developed and completed by Lilo). At Arindam Basu’s request, she wrote the biography of Jyotipriya that appeared in three issues of Mother India in 1981. In Auroville, she participated in Matrimandir concretings, worked inside the Matrimandir and in the Matrimandir gardens, and worked at the Auroville archives.

Originally from Brooklyn, Mandikini is now a bi-national who has been living in France for 30 years. She is a retired English language trainer and translator for executives with major French corporations. As a member of the AVI-France board, she has a special focus on fundraising, and in this context, initiated “Build It Now!” to raise funds for Santé (Auroville’s new Institute for Integral Health) in a joint AVI-France and AVI-USA action. She also launched the first fundraising efforts for the Farewell Facilities. Mandikini received the inner indication (and name) for the Acres for Auroville land campaign, a collaboration between AVI and Lands for Auroville Unified, for which she is co-organizer. Her 15 years of teaching English to accounting and audit professionals served her well for her responsibility as treasurer of A4A’s transparent accounts. Recently, at the request of the Sri Aurobindo Center of Los Angeles, she created a new article on Jyotipriya for Wikipedia.