Shipra Gupta
(1935 - 2025)
Born in 1935, she spent her early years in Delhi and Shimla. 1956, having completed her undergraduate degree in history, she started teaching at the Mother’s School – New Delhi which is where she met Chamanlal Ji, whom she married in 1962 with The Mother’s blessings. The Mother gave permission to the couple to work in Australia for some years, where Chamanlal Ji worked with CSIRO, and Shipra Di served as a librarian.
Her visit to Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1968 was profound, and she always maintained a deep bond with Auroville. The Mother entrusted her with the task of being part of the cooking team for delegates during Auroville’s inauguration. In 1972, she finally came to Pondicherry after receiving two telegrams from her mother, inviting her to join the Ashram.
For over two decades, she served as the key point of contact for ‘Golconde’. Architects, planners, and designers visiting the Ashram were treated to personalized tours led by her, enriched with captivating anecdotes about the building’s history, along with insightful interpretations of its spatial design, materials, and architectural details. These tours inspired many visitors to feature Golconde in prestigious journals and even author monographs dedicated to the building.
Shipra Di played a pivotal role in several organizations, including the early development of TERI Pondicherry, establishing the solar energy unit in the Ashram, and serving as a founding Trustee of Keystone Foundation in 1993. Shipra Di’s exceptional work in documenting and disseminating research and experimentation in renewable energy earned her the reputation of being a “human Google” long before the search engine was invented. With her remarkable memory and vast network, she could effortlessly connect people to ex-students, publications, or projects, providing the exact documentation, research, or information they needed.
Shipra Di was much more than a supportive partner to Chamanlal Ji in his intricate technical and administrative work—she was the heart of their home, a radiant presence known for her warmth, hospitality, and unique ability to make everyone feel instantly at ease. Her home was a vibrant space that welcomed an extraordinary range of individuals—from J.R.D. Tata and Eckhart Tolle to Dr. B.V. Doshi—each touched by her grace and openness. To students and visitors alike, she was a nurturing, motherly figure whose charisma and deep kindness left a lasting impression, often remembered with deep affection even decades later.
Members of the Shola Fellowship came to know Shipra Di through Pratim, who first met her in 1976 as a 12-year-old student at the Ashram School in Pondicherry. He recalls her as a refuge for seekers, lost souls, and curious minds—a listener without judgment, whose generosity of time and spirit defied the clock. From hosting intimate conversations in her Quiet House apartment to supporting the early years of the Keystone Foundation, she stood by her community with unwavering faith and quiet strength. Even at 89, in a nursing home, she remained curious about the world, asking about projects, villages, and people. She lived in harmony with what she believed, a friend and guide whose presence was a gift still unfolding.
Shipra Di embodied a rare blend of grace, curiosity, and resilience. She found joy in the everyday—cooking, travel, good conversations, and the fine things in life—yet remained deeply grounded, always present for others with a mischievous smile and an open heart. She carried within her a quiet power, a deep faith that continued to expand even in her later years. Her ability to connect with people across backgrounds—from industrialists to wayfarers—spoke to her universal appeal. For those who knew her, especially through the journey of Keystone Foundation and the Shola Fellowship, she was not just a companion but a quiet anchor, a source of wisdom, and a reminder of what it means to live fully, generously, and with intention.
