Nirmala Joshi

Nirmala Joshi Biography

Nirmala Joshi was a Catholic Religious Sister who succeeded Mother Teresa as the head of her Missionaries of Charity, headed in Kolkata. She was the first nun to lead the Missionaries of Charity after the blessed founder Mother Teresa died in 1997. This religious institute aimed for charity was founded by the Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta in the year 1950. This Roman Catholic religious congregation had over 5000 sisters and is active in around 133 countries worldwide. Mary Prema Pierick succeeded Sister Nirmala Joshi as Superior General on 24 March 2009. Nirmala Joshi passed away on 23 June 2015, aged 80. The government of India bestowed the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in 2009 for her social service.

Her maiden name is Nirmala Kusum. She is best known as Sister Nirmala. She was born on 23 July 1934 in a Hindu Brahmin family in Regmi Village, Syangja, Nepal. She had 9 younger siblings. Her father worked in British army till Indian independence, and she was brought to India at the age of one. She was educated by Christian missionaries in Mount Carmel, Hazaribag. Got influenced by the social work of Mother Terasa, she converted to Catholicism and joined the Missionaries of Charity. She held a doctorate degree in law from the University of Calcutta.

She was one among the sisters from the missionary to go for a foreign mission, for the first time to Panama. She started the contemplative branch of the Missionaries of Charity, and headed this branch until she became the head of her Missionaries of Charity, when Mother Teresa passed away. Her term ended on 25 March 2009. She passed away on 23 June 2015 in Kolkata, aged 80.

Published: July 23, 2018

Updated: July 23, 2018