Sister Nirmala, Mother Teresa’s successor, dies at 81

Sister Nirmala Joshi, who succeeded Mother Teresa as the leader of the Missionaries of Charity, has died at the age of 81.

Sister Nirmala took over as superior general of the order, based in Calcutta, India, after Mother Teresa’s death in 1997.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta told the Indian Express that Sister Nirmala had been suffering from a heart condition and had recently moved back to a Missionaries of Charity home in the city after a period spent in hospital.

“She breathed her last peacefully, she was a great soul,” said Archbishop D’Souza.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences.

Sister Nirmala was in charge of the order until 2009, when the current superior general, Sister Mary Prema Pierick, took over.