150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo Bose

Spiritual Roots of India

In India, spirituality and religion are deeply interwoven with daily life. Since ancient times, Rishis and Munis have pursued higher spiritual truths over material gains, making India a beacon of wisdom for the world. Among the great spiritual luminaries who carried this legacy forward was Sri Aurobindo, whose life and work continue to inspire seekers across the globe.

Early Life and Education

Sri Aurobindo was born in Calcutta on 15th August 1872. At the age of seven, he was sent to England, where he studied at St. Paul’s School, London and later at King’s College, Cambridge. Returning to India in 1893, he worked for 13 years in the princely state of Baroda, serving both as an official under the Maharaja and as a professor at Baroda College.

Revolutionary Nationalist

Alongside his academic work, Sri Aurobindo secretly joined a revolutionary movement, preparing for an uprising against British rule. After the Partition of Bengal in 1906, he moved to Calcutta and emerged as one of the foremost leaders of the nationalist movement. In his newspaper Bande Mataram, he became the first political leader to demand complete independence for India. Prosecuted multiple times by the British for sedition and conspiracy, he was released for lack of evidence.

Turn to Spiritual Life

Having begun the practice of Yoga in 1905, Sri Aurobindo gradually turned to a deeper spiritual path. In 1910, he withdrew from active politics and settled in Pondicherry, dedicating himself to spiritual realization. Over the next four decades, he developed a new system of practice called Integral Yoga, which aimed not just at inner liberation but at the transformation of human nature itself.

Founding of the Ashram

In 1926, with the guidance of his spiritual collaborator, The Mother (Mirra Alfassa), Sri Aurobindo established the Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry. His literary and philosophical works—including The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, and Savitri—remain profound contributions to global spiritual thought. He attained mahasamadhi on 5th December 1950.

Legacy and the Sri Aurobindo Society

In 1960, The Mother established the Sri Aurobindo Society, which has since grown into an international organization working in fields such as integral education, Indian culture, sustainable development, and humanitarian service. Today, Sri Aurobindo is remembered as a scholar, philosopher, poet, revolutionary, yogi, and rishi, whose vision touched millions in India and abroad.

National Commemoration

As part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, celebrating 75 years of Independence, the Government of India commemorated the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo (15 August 2022 – 15 August 2023) at national and international levels.

The Department of Posts is proud to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, saluting his enduring contribution to the spiritual upliftment of humanity and honoring his message of inner transformation as the path to a better world.