About us
Committed to Sustainability since 2007
EcoPro, a unit of the Aurosarjan Trust, has been committed to promoting sustainable development and ecological solutions. Based in Auroville, our mission is to support communities, organizations, and individuals in achieving environmental health and sustainable resource management.
Our Vision
At EcoPro, we envision a future where soil, water, and waste are managed sustainably to restore balance to ecosystems and nurture human well-being. We are dedicated to empowering communities with the knowledge and tools needed for regenerative agriculture, sustainable sanitation, and effective waste management.
Meet the Team
Our team combines diverse expertise dedicated to sustainability. Each member brings unique skills to EcoPro, serving impactful solutions for environmental and social challenges.
Niranjan S.
After acquiring a Master degree in Environmental Sciences, started his career in municipal waste management. Joined EcoPro in 2010 and keeps expanding his fields of knowledge and knowledge application. Provides consultancy in EM practices, in sanitation and wastewater treatment, and in solid waste management in rural and urban south India.
Lucas Dengel
Hailing from Germany, visited Auroville for the first time in 1973. From early in life enthusiastic about arts, nature conservancy and organic farming, underwent nursing training and medical studies, worked as surgeon assistant and, 1988-98, as general practitioner at Auroville Health Centre. Prior to settling in Auroville in 1988, had lived in Auroville for five years in total. – Co-managed AuroAnnam farm & organic food trade for eight years. In 2007 founded EcoPro and has been guiding its team and projects. Enjoys learning-by-teaching in regenerative farming, ecological hygiene, ecosystem health and One Health.
Dhaka Nath Sharma
Hailing from Nepal, arrived in Auroville in 1998. After joining EcoPro in 2007, acquired a Master degree in Business Administration & Finance, and now is
responsible for the administration of purchases and sales, and for accounts. Much of his time is dedicated to technical guidance in all the various EM uses.
Preethi
Has left EcoPro in March 2025, for family reasons. – Acquired a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Technical University of Hamburg, Germany, which is host of a research institute in sanitation. Worked as Assistant Professor at Christ University, Bangalore teaching Environmental Engineering subjects, and as trainer at CDD Society, an NGO for inclusive water and sanitation solutions. After joining EcoPro in 2023, was engaged in the Kalrayan Hills project working in ecosanitation, nutrition and health. Has contributed substantially to developing a baseline study on the conditions for allowing low-tech management of fecal sludge by co-composting with dry organic materials.
Sharmila Parajuli
Born in Nepal, has been living in and around Auroville since early childhood.
Studied B.Sc. in Nursing and found the work as a community health nurse very rewarding. Joined EcoPro in February 2021. Trained also as Menstrual Educator, facilitates sessions for women in reproductive anatomy & physiology and menstrual hygiene, encouraging the use of sustainable menstrual products. The work strengthened her commitment to community health and women’s empowerment even more.
Devanathan C.
Devanathan holds a B.Sc. in Zoology and has rich experience in working on watershed projects with farmer groups in and around Auroville. Since joining EcoPro in 2014, he has been instrumental in many projects, coordinating training workshops in organic and Biodynamic farming for local farmers and among farmers of Scheduled Tribes, assisting researchers of Vector Control Research Centre, Puducherry in mosquito surveys, running pyrolysis for production of terra preta, executing activities in field research on organic inputs on Auroville farms, and demonstrating EM use in farming and sanitation.
Sivakumar P.
With EcoPro since 2018, Sivakumar assists the office in sales and delivery duties and weekly activation of EM solution; his help in field work and research assistance is highly appreciated.
Hartmut von Lieres
Born in Germany (Hamburg). Joined Auroville in 2001.
Qualified as naturopath; also worked as translator of texts on natural medicine.
He is member of EcoPro since October 2024 and manages the EcoPro website. Helps in compiling reports for donors of EcoPro projects and for Auroville administrative offices.
Our Journey
Since our establishment in 2007, EcoPro has grown into a trusted partner for businesses, NGOs, Government offices and local communities. Our team brings diverse expertise and hands-on experience to every project, ensuring impactful and sustainable solutions.
Why Choose EcoPro?
EcoPro is committed to present the benefits of its products as realistically as possible and to offer its services and knowledge in awareness of reach and limitations. Whether through our consultancy, products, or community initiatives, we strive to create long-term positive change for both people and the environment.
Let ecological health be the foundation of communal prosperity.
Publications by Lucas Dengel
Sharing Knowledge, Building Bridges, Inspiring Change
Lucas Dengel has authored and co-authored numerous publications that reflect his commitment to ecological health, environmental stewardship and social fairness. Through these works, he has contributed to the quest for sustainable solutions in sanitation, organic farming, and community-driven development. His interdisciplinary approach builds bridges in understanding, connects areas of expertise, and aims at inspiring interdepartmental cooperation.
Explore his publications to learn more about practical solutions for sustainability and the philosophy that drives EcoPro’s mission.
Below is a curated list of Lucas’s publications.
Lucas Dengel – publications (chronologically):
Biodynamic Agriculture and Homeopathy.
Reflections on practices and conceptual foundations. Institute for Cultural Research and Action (ICRA), Bangalore. 2002
Dynamic plants for farming and healing.
In: Namah, New Approaches to Medicine and Health. 10 (4), 10-16. Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry. 2003
Sustainable Water Resource Management in Sanitation.
An Overview. In: Seminar Proceedings of “Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management for Auroville and the Bioregion” conducted at Auroville on Sept 13-15, 2004. 109-117. Auroville Centre for Scientific Research (CSR) and Auroville Water Harvest. 2004
EM Technology:
The use of an inoculant of microorganisms for the treatment of solid waste and wastewater. In: Anisa Basheer Khan, Environmental Crisis and Security in the New Millennium. 189-198. New Delhi, 2005
Eco-friendly hygiene with EM technology.
In: Namah, New Approaches to Medicine and Health, 14 (3), 15-18. Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry. 2006
Achievements and unexplored scope of Effective Microorganisms (EM) technology in India.
In: Symposium Proceedings of “Biological Methods of Waste Treatment and Management in South India” held at The New College, Chennai, 99-103. United States Educational Foundation in India, Chennai. 2007
Sanitation revised:
There is life-after-flushing. In: Spade, 2 (May 2010), 90-93. Samira Rathod Design Associates, Mumbai, 2010
The Cycle of Nutrients and the Shunned Issues of Sanitation.
In: The Awakening Ray, Vol. 28 Issue 3, 20-25. Anuradha Agrawal and Ameeta Mehra on behalf of The Gnostic Centre, New Delhi. 2024
Joined authorship:
Organic Agriculture 3.0 is innovation with research.
By: Rahmann, Gerold, M. Reza Ardakani, Paolo Bàrberi, Herwart Boehm, Stefano Canali, Mahesh Chander, Wahyudi David, Lucas Dengel et al. In: Organic Agriculture, 7 (3), 169-197. Springer Netherlands, 2017. [to be quoted as: Rahmann, G., Reza Ardakani, M., Bàrberi, P. et al. In: Org. Agr. (2017) 7: 169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-016-0171-5 ]
Mosquito Diversity in an Experimental Township in Tamil Nadu, India.
By: P. Visa Shalini, A.N. Shriram, A. Elango, R. Natarajan, B. Vijayakumar, K.H.K Raju, Lucas Dengel, K. Gunasekaran, AshwaniKumar. In: Journal of Medical Entomology, XX(XX), 2022, 1-10. [ https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjac064 ]
Motivation for using Urine Diversion Dry Toilets (UDDTs) in two low-income communities in Tamil Nadu – a case study.
By: Pavitra Ellappan, Lucas Dengel, Preethi Grace Theva Neethi Dhas, Banalata Sen. – In: Sanitation, the official journal of the International Society for Sanitation Studies (ISSS), 2025 Vol. 8, Issue 2, 42-53 [ https://doi.org/10.34416/sanitation.00060 ]
Papers presented in conferences, examples:
- 2015, Sept.: “Organic farming and sanitation – the cycling of nutrients in soils, human food and excreta” at an ISOFAR (International Society of Organic Agriculture Research) conference in Lohas Academy, Goesan County, Republic of Korea;
- 2015, Nov.: “Household level UDDTs in a Tamil Nadu village: learning from failures, factors for success” at the 2nd International Terra Preta Sanitation Conference at BITS Pilani, Goa;
- 2017, Feb.: “Ecological Hygiene: The need for a concept of ecological hygiene vs. medico-surgical hygiene” at the FSM4 (4th International Conference on Fecal Sludge Management) in Chennai;
- 2017, May: poster presentation on “The need for concepts of integration and for interdisciplinary and interdepartmental communication” at the Dresden Nexus Conference (on Water, Soil and Waste) in Dresden, Germany;
- 2018, Nov.: “Cycles of nutrients and carbon. From understanding to implementation – some bottlenecks” at a conference on the Urban-Rural Nutrient and Carbon Cycle – towards soil protection and rehabilitation, at BITS Pilani, Goa.