Mother Teresa's successor Sister Nirmala passes away; funeral on Wednesday

Sister Nirmala, who succeeded Mother Teresa as superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, died in West Bengal on Tuesday.

Kolkata: Sister Nirmala Joshi, the former superior general of the Missionaries of Charity, died on Tuesday morning. She was 81.

Sister Nirmala had replaced Mother Teresa as the superior general on March 13, 1997. The Nobel laureate had died on September 5 the same year.

A Missionaries of Charity official said Sister Nirmala was not keeping well for the past few days and her health was gradually deteriorating. 

"She was sick for quite some time. She passed away at 12:05 am today (Tuesday) at the convent where she used to stay in Sealdah," a news agency quoted a source at the Mother House as saying.

Her body would be brought to Mother House on Wednesday morning and the funeral will be held at 4 pm. Sister Nirmala will be laid to rest at the St John's cemetery after the mass.

"Anyone who wants to pay respect can come to Mother House tomorrow", the official said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to the Missionaries of Charity family on microblogging website Twitter. 

My deepest condolences to the Missionaries of Charity family on the passing away of Sister Nirmala. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 23, 2015

Sister Nirmala's life was devoted to service, caring for the poor & underprivileged. Saddened by her demise. May her soul rest in peace. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 23, 2015

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took to Twitter to pay her tributes and added that Kolkata and the world would miss Sister Nirmala. "Sister Nirmala's devotion and untiring work for the ailing humanity will always remain an inspiration to all us," she added. Banerjee paid her last respects to Sister Nirmala at St John's Church here.

The passing away of Sister Nirmala has deeply saddened me. Entire humanity has lost a great friend pic.twitter.com/AXe3VVjUTV — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 23, 2015

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said he was extremely saddened at the passing away of Sister Nirmala. "She carried forward Mother Teresa's work with quiet dedication and dignity," he tweeted.

She will be missed by the countless whose lives she touched:Rahul Gandhi (2/2) — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 23, 2015

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in her condolence message, also said Sister Nirmala will be deeply missed by millions whose lives she touched in service of humanity.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) also extended its condolences.

"Her life of dedication and service especially to the poor is a great inspiration and it is to be pondered upon and to be followed," ISKCON's spokesperson Radharaman Das said.

Sister Nirmala was given India's second highest civilian order Padma Vibhushan in 2009 for her services to the nation.

Sister Nirmala was born in Ranchi on July 23, 1934 to a Brahmin soldier who came from Nepal. She had joined the Order after converting from Hinduism at the age of 17. She was impressed by Mother Teresa's work among the poor and the needy. 

An MA in political science, Sister Nirmala started the MoC's contemplative branch in 1976 and headed it till 1997 when she was elected to succeed Mother Teresa as the order's Superior General. She was elected for a second term in 2003.

Sister Nirmala was re-elected for a third term on March 13, 2009, but the MoC held a second election days later after she wanted to be relieved of the responsibility owing to ill health and also expressed a desire to return to the contemplative life she led before heading the order.

She was later succeeded by German-born Sister Mary Prema during a general chapter held in Calcutta in April 2009.

Sister Nirmala was honoured with India's second highest civilian order Padma Vibhushan in 2009 for her services to the nation.