KOLKATA: Sister Nirmala, who succeeded Mother Teresa as head of the Missionaries of Charity, was buried here on Wednesday after a requiem mass at the organisation’s headquarters, Mother House, in the evening.
Sister Nirmala died on Tuesday due to old-age-related ailments at the age of 81. She had stepped down as Superior General of the Christian order in 2009 because of poor health and was succeeded by Sister Mary Prema.
As per her last wishes, Sister Nirmala was buried at the cemetery adjacent to the St. John’s Church at Sealdah in the central part of the city.
She had moved out of the Missionaries of Charity headquarters and spent her final years at the church.
Despite rains, thousands of people poured in to pay their last respects to Sister Nirmala, whose body was kept in a glass casket next to the memoriam of Mother Teresa on the ground floor hall from the morning.
Several people reached the city from various parts of the country. A large number of foreign volunteers who serve at various homes of the outfit were also present.
Christian hymns as well as songs of Rabindra Nath Tagore were sung as people, including children, queued outside Mother House, laid flowers and kissed the casket while nuns sat praying for the departed soul.