Our Campus
The school was first established within the city of Auroville. The group grew organically from its initial “tree school” gathering inside the Matrimandir Nursery into a gated complex near Town Hall. Growing with the needs of the community, the Ilaignarkal Education Center caters to the educational pursuits of Auroville’s work force from neighbouring villages.
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Now housed in an eco-friendly campus, the school’s buildings are made of compressed-earth bricks. Our rooftop grid integrated solar-power structure is the first in Tamil Nadu. We also incorporate many sustainability initiatives such as our rainwater harvesting system, as well as a zero-harm waste management system.
OUR VISION IS TO STRIVE TO BE A PIONEER IN PROVIDING OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS WHO WILL
become beacons of progress, human unity, and harmony.
OUR STORY
Started in 1976 as the first experimental prototype outreach school for the workers of Auroville and their family, the Ilaignarkal Education Centre began as a small group who met to learn beneath the shade of a large banyan tree. Since then, it has grown into an inclusive campus for overall education.
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Here, we provide education and training with a focus on integrating the Tamil and non-Tamil speaking communities of Auroville. This bridge between cultures creates what we call a silent revolution. Our Centre strives to help build sustainable communities for all residents of Auroville's neighbouring communities through the preservation and promotion of Tamil culture and research.
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​Translated in English, the Tamil word Ilaignarkal is the plural form of youth. Here at IEC, we believe that youth never ages so our students come from all different generations. And in the last 46 years of its existence, the Ilaignarkal Education Centre has helped thousands in developing their skills through further learning.
