Today, Sister Mary Prema is declared the new head of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. With this, the German-born nun replaces Sister Nirmala Joshi, who was re-elected for the third time on 13 March 2009. Miss Joshi has led the congregation since 1997, following the death of Mother Teresa.

 

The nuns wanted Sister Nirmala to lead for the third term too, but she requested to be relieved of her duties due to ailing health. The election held a day before the congregations' general chapter was scheduled to conclude. Established in 1950, Missionaries of Charity — the congregation founded by Mother Teresa in Kolkata — is a Roman Catholic religious order comprising of over 4,500 sisters in 133 countries.