Sister Nirmala (born 1934) succeeded Mother Teresa as Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity in March 1997.[1][2]
She was born Nirmala Joshi into a Brahmin family in Ranchi (then in Bihar and now the capital of the Indian State of Jharkhand). Her parents were Hindu Brahmins from Nepal. Her father was a Indian Army officer originally from Nepal.
She was educated by Christian missionaries in Patna (capital of Bihar state) but remained a Hindu until she was 24 and learned of Mother Teresa's work and converted to Roman Catholicism.
Sister Nirmala has a master's degree in political science from an Indian university and additional training as a lawyer. She was one of the first nuns to head a foreign mission when she went to Panama.
In 1976, she started the Contemplative Branch of the Missionaries of Charity, and remained at its head until 1997 when she was elected to succeed Mother Teresa.
Sister Nirmala was awarded with Padma Vibhushan by the government of India on the Republic Day January 26, 2009. [3] She retired on March 25, 2009 and was replaced by German-born Sister Mary Prema.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mother Teresa |
Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity 1997–2009 |
Succeeded by Sister Mary Prema |