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Prime Minister paid tribute to Sri Aurobindo on his birth anniversary on 15 August 2026, recalling his contribution to India’s freedom struggle and his ideas on human progress and transformation.

Sri Aurobindo

• Born: 15 August 1872, Calcutta
• Died: 5 December 1950, Pondicherry
• Known as a nationalist, revolutionary, philosopher, poet and yogi.
• Cleared the Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination but did not qualify for appointment after failing to appear for the compulsory horse-riding test.

Contribution to the Freedom Struggle

1. Radical Nationalism

• Advocated radical nationalism and mass mobilisation even before the rise of Gandhi.
• Through New Lamps for Old, criticised the moderate approach of the early Indian National Congress.
• Associated with the revolutionary nationalist milieu of Jugantar and Anushilan Samiti.
• Wrote for nationalist newspapers including Bande Mataram and founded Karmayogin.

2. Alipore Bomb Case, 1908

• Arrested in connection with the Alipore Bomb Case.
• Chittaranjan Das successfully defended him.

Spiritual and Philosophical Contributions

• Later moved increasingly towards spiritual and philosophical pursuits.
• Established the Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry in 1926.
• Worked closely with Mirra Alfassa (The Mother), who later established Auroville.
• Emphasisedspiritual evolution, human transformation and India's civilisational role.

Major Works

• The Life Divine
• Savitri
• Essays on the Gita
• The Synthesis of Yoga
• The Foundations of Indian Culture / Defence of Indian Culture