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Sri Aurobindo's Five Dreams

Sri Aurobindo's Five Dreams

Sri Aurobindo Five Dreams

Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR) Trust, Puducherry is happy to announce projects to research on Sri Aurobindo’s five dreams. SACAR’s aim has always been an In-Depth Study of Sri Aurobindo’s works and corelate them to the present world conditions and study the developing trends. 

We call interested scholars and seekers to come forward to take up research in any of the following projects mentioned later in this document.

Project
DurationRemunerationNoteVacancy
Full-time2 yearsRs. 40,000Per month (Scholar has to study at SACAR for the entire duration of the project)2 scholars
Part-time2 yearsRs. 200000After completion and acceptance of the project2 scholars
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Eligibility

  • The candidate who has a PhD degree or has submitted the thesis for evaluation
  • Independent researchers with PhD degrees who are not affiliated permanently with any institution mentioned but have produced at least two sole-author books.
  • Candidates having good research acumen, has published papers or books and a strong academic leaning.
  • Good command on English language.
  • Willingness to modify the research methodology according to the need of the subject and Sri Aurobindo’s approach.
  • Open-minded to read and explore Sri Aurobindo’s works.

There will be flexibility in eligibility and the aptitude and attitude of the scholar along with his/her academic skills will be the basis of selection.

Selection

  • The selection for all the projects will be done on case-to-case basis.
  • The above eligibility criteria are only pointers. However, there will be rounds of selection before the scholar is inducted.
  • We may ask you for your article or publication. An online interview and test may also be taken to judge the capacity of the scholar to deal with Sri Aurobindo’s thought.

Project commencement Date: 01.01.2026 for all the projects

Last date to fill up the form 10.12.2025

Please Note

  • The full-time scholar should be willing to stay in Pondicherry and study at SACAR for the entire duration of the research.
  • The scholar will receive only 50% of the committed remuneration at least for the first 3 months. Once the committee is convinced of the progress of research, the full amount will be released.
  • Chosen candidates will be given a letter of acceptance and they have to sign the letter of understanding that they will complete this project under all circumstances in the given time.
  • Every month, the candidate will meet the committee/ mentor especially constituted for the project.
  • Every week the candidate (part-time) has to report to SACAR about the progress made during the week (A format will be given, which the candidate has to fill every week, along with the proof)
  • A local guide/supervisor may be identified to monitor the work for the part time candidate.
  • Part-time research fellows should spend a couple of weeks at SACAR for guidance and referring works of Sri Aurobindo.
  • If the research progress is found unsatisfactory, SACAR reserves the rights to terminate this research with the scholar at any given time. In which case the entire amount given to the candidate should be refunded to SACAR within 10 days of termination.
  • Even if the research himself/herself chooses to discontinue the project, he/she has to repay the entire amount given so far.
  • It will be mandatory to submit the work done to the committee at a regular interval so that the work can progress in the correct direction and on time.
  • The final draft will undergo some editing, proofing and incorporation of suggestions by the committee. The scholar should be willing to do the above.
  • The Copyright of the manuscript of final draft of the research will rest with SACAR. SACAR reserves all rights to publish the manuscript provided the work is recommended for publication by Expert/Experts. SACAR will give its due credit to the Scholar while publishing it.
  • After publication, the scholar will get 10 complementary copies of the book.

Choice of Project and its procedure

  • The candidate has to submit an elaborate proposal to SACAR based on the five outlines given below, along with the form.
  • The title can be changed and the direction and content of research can also be made more concrete. The ideas given below are tentative and loose.
  • If two candidates apply for the same proposal, the committee will decide which one to select depending on the demand of the topic.
  • The candidate can send more than one proposal also, so that the committee has more choices and the chances of selection for the scholar are higher.

For Further information
Please write to shrutisacar@gmail.com
or WhatsApp: 9994190403

Project 1

Towards a United India: Exploring the Possibilities, Nature,
and Impact of National Unity in Contemporary Crisis

This research project is inspired by Sri Aurobindo’s first dream: “a revolutionary movement which would create a free and united India.” This project will study the possibilities of the unity of India, the nature of unity, the time required for such a Unity and result of such a unity in the given crisis today.

Objectives

  • To investigate various attempts at Unity on philosophical, historical and spiritual levels.
  • To analyze the social, political, cultural, and economic hurdles in achieving unity.
  • To explore the action being taken at present to achieve political and religious unity.
  • To make an action plan which can be implemented through education to create a mindset to achieve unity.

Research Questions

  • What is the kind of Unity that Sri Aurobindo envisages? Is it only political unity?
  • What attempts were made to achieve unity in the past? To what extent did they succeed? Why did it not materialise fully? 
  • What were the hurdles in achieving unity in the past or at present?
  • What are the conditions required for Unity to materialise?
  • Why is Unity of India required for the world?

Methodology

  • Literature Review: Classical texts, Sri Aurobindo’s writings, contemporary sociopolitical analyses.
  • Field Research: Interviews, surveys, and case studies across diverse Indian regions.
  • Comparative Analysis: Study of unity movements in other nations.
  • Workshops & Dialogues: Group discussions and presentations on each of the research questions.

Expected Outcomes

  • A framework and action plan to be implemented in education to start the change at the grassroots level
  • To bring the difference to the table and find workable solutions among small working groups.
  • Publishing the findings and outcomes of the research as papers, monographs and volumes of books and then converting them into text books.

Project 2

India’s role in the Comity of Nations:
Explorations of her political, social, cultural and spiritual potentialities

This project is based on Sri Aurobindo observation on India’s independence “It marks for her the end of an old era, the beginning of a new age. But it has a significance not only for us, but for Asia and the whole world; for it signifies the entry into the comity of nations of a new power with untold potentialities which has a great part to play in determining the political, social, cultural and spiritual future of humanity.” (Autobiographical Notes: 474)

Objectives

  • To investigate the India’s growth story after Independence
  • To identify the “untold potentialities” of India
  • To evaluate the workability of this vision of Sri Aurobindo in the given geopolitical circumstances
  • To locate how far and deep has India’s soft power impacted other nations, their policies, values and psychological issues.

Research Questions

  • What are the philosophical foundations of Indian Culture that made Sri Aurobindo conclude this? 
  • What is India’s historical and cultural trajectory? How has it shaped the Indian civilizational identity?
  • What is India’s present position and relevance with regard to the present geo-political, economic and environmental crisis? 
  • What are the pointers and proofs to recognise India’s influence in shaping global opinion on trade, international relations and culture?

Methodology

  • Literature Review: Authentic books on Indian Cultural History, Sri Aurobindo’s writings and vision on India as mentioned in Bande Mataram, Karmayogin and Ideal of Human Unity.
  • Field Research: Interviews, surveys, and case studies.
  • Documentation of the influence of India on other nations.

Expected Outcomes

  • A clear understanding of India’s role in the comity of Nations through a series of articles
  • Documents, proofs and interviews proving India’s influence on the world
  • Publication of a volume of all the research work done above which can be used as a handbook and text book for the students of India’s foreign policy and Indian relations.

Project 3

From Material Mastery to Spiritual Evolution:
Asia’s Civilizational Response to Global Crisis

Based on Sri Aurobindo’s Article: “The Asiatic Role”, this project will explore his statement “Asia is the custodian of the world’s peace of mind, the physician of the maladies which Europe generates” (Bande Mataram: 1019). In this article he has elaborated the importance, strength and leverage that Asia has had and will have over Europe, its materialism and its feverish race to external progress while overlooking the inner.

Objectives

  • To assess the contribution of Asia in the past in Polity, Philosophy, Religion and values.
  • To find out the reasons of its downfall.
  • To assess the current rising of all the Asiatic nations – the means of their rise: cultural, economic, religious and political.
  • To identify the factors which makes Asia the leader
  • To propose a framework for spiritual evolution rooted in Asian wisdom.

Research Questions

  • What are the signs of Europe’s exhaustion and crisis in today’s world?
  • How do Asian traditions offer alternatives to materialist paradigms?
  • Can Asia lead a new phase of human evolution — not through domination, but through illumination?

Methodology

  • Case studies of Asian responses to global challenges 
  • Policy analysis of Asian nations integrating spiritual values into governance

Expected Outcomes

  • A policy-oriented white paper: Asia’s Spiritual Response to the Global Crisis
  • A curated exhibition: From Desert to Dharma: Civilizational Transmissions
  • A short film or animated explainer on Sri Aurobindo’s second dream

Project 4

Asia’s Role in the Harmonization of Global Thought:
Sri Aurobindo’s Vision of Synthesis as the Strength of Asia

In his article “The Asiatic Role” Sri Aurobindo wrote: “the strength of Asia in synthesis”. This project will explore the nature of synthesis, the components of synthesis and the reason why it is a strength, as detail is the strength of Europe.

Objectives

  • To assess how detail is the strength of Europe
  • To find the achievements of Europe owing to this strength and the pit-fall it has faced
  • To identify those elements in Asia which were synthesized in the past and those that need an organic synthesis in the future. 
  • To assess the extent of synthesis and its possibility in the multipolar world.
  • To suggest certain road-maps which could lead to a harmonious synthesis of various elements in Asia and the world.

Research Questions

  • What are the signs of the success of European tendency of detailing?
  • How can we assess the past synthesis in Asia? Does it exist now? If yes, then where  and in what forms. 
  • Why is Sri Aurobindo confident that Asia will lead the world and the rise of Asia is inevitable? 
  • What are the visible signs of the rise of Asia in the current geopolitical impasse?

Methodology

  • Assessing the ground reality of Asian culture by visiting selected cities/ villages in a few countries. 
  • Examining the existing work done so far to study the cultural synthesis 
  • Case Studies and interviews of common people of Asia who have lived the synthesis and bore the impact of global crisis closely.

Expected Outcomes

  • An extensive report substantiating and supporting Sri Aurobindo’s statement
  • Enlisting the possible areas of synthesis
  • Creating a road map for the future elements for synthesis.

Project 5

Humanity’s March Towards Human Unity: Problems and Possibilities

This project explores the third dream of Sri Aurobindo which envisages Nature’s drive towards human unity through conflict and cooperation, through war and trade. Based primarily on
Sri Aurobindo’s essay from The Ideal of Human Unity: “The Ideal Solution — A Free Grouping of Mankind”. In the present world conditions, it is quite impossible to think about human unity. The world is moving from becoming bipolar to multipolar. Trade war and nuclear advances are constantly threatening the very existence of humanity. In these conditions, it is imperative to find light, hope and direction from a visionary who was witness to the two World Wars and yet could see the possibility of human unity in future. In fact, he could see the trend towards unity emerging despite impediments. This project intends to study the problems and possibilities to make human unity possible.

Objectives

  • To identify the nature of human unity that is emerging 
  • To consolidate the problems humanity is facing on various levels and give them a philosophical basis.
  • To investigate the possibilities that are being worked out towards manifesting human unity.

Research Questions

  • Are countries making any efforts towards human unity?
  • What is the role of economy and diplomacy in human unity?
  • Can Cultural exchange play any role in bringing the world together? 
  • What is the nature of human unity, what structure do the social scientists envisage? 
  • What steps can be taken towards a conscious march towards human unity?

Methodology

  • Literature Review and Podcast analysis of the social scientists, economists, defence experts and diplomats
  • In-depth study and analysis of Sri Aurobindo’s Ideal of Human Unity to find out the direction and nuances of the steps towards Human Unity. 
  • Interviews and brain storming of the younger groups who can come up with innovative ways to achieve Human Unity.

Expected Outcomes

  • A Road-map giving steps towards human unity
  • A volume documenting the entire research on the above
  • Creating awareness among the youth through online workshops, lectures and discussions.
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