History News Desk !!! Mother Teresa (English: Mother Teresa, born – 26 August 1910, Yugoslavia; died – 5 September 1997) was a Roman Catholic nun who voluntarily took Indian citizenship in 1948. She founded the ‘Missionaries of Charity’ in Kolkata in 1950. She helped the poor, sick, orphans and dying for 45 years and also paved the way for the spread of ‘Missionaries of Charity’.
The country will always be indebted to Mother Teresa for the kindness with which she served the poor and needy of India. Mother Teresa’s real name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, who was given the name ‘Saint Teresa of Calcutta’ by the Roman Catholic Church.
Mother Teresa was born on 26 August 1910 in Yugoslavia. Her father’s name was Nikola Boyajiu, who was a simple businessman. She was an active member of a Roman Catholic organization and at the young age of 12, the seed of immense compassion sprouted in her heart. Mother Teresa’s real name was Agnes Gonxha Boyajiu. In Albanian language, Gonxha means flower bud. Agnes’s father died in her childhood, later she was brought up by her mother. She was the youngest of five siblings and at the time of her birth, her elder sister Ach was 7 years old and her brother was 2 years old, the other two children died in childhood. Gonxha was a beautiful, lively, studious and hardworking girl. She especially liked reading and singing. She and her sister Ach were the main singers of prayers in the church. Gonxha was given a new name ‘Sister Teresa’ which was a sign that she was going to start a new life. This new life in a new country, far away from her family, was not comfortable but Sister Teresa experienced great peace.[1]
Sister Teresa, along with three other sisters, boarded a ship from Ireland and reached ‘Loreto Convent’ in Kolkata on 6 January 1929. She was a very good and disciplined teacher and the students loved her very much. In the year 1944, she became the Principal of St. Mary’s School. Mother Teresa completed the necessary nursing training and returned to Kolkata in 1948 and from there went to Taltala for the first time, where she stayed with an institution that took care of poor elderly people. She washed the wounds of the patients, bandaged them and gave them medicines. In 1949, Mother Teresa founded the ‘Missionaries of Charity’ to help the poor, helpless and sick people, which was recognized by the Roman Catholic Church on 7 October 1950. Along with this, she decided to give up traditional clothes and wear a blue-bordered sari.[1]
Mother Teresa opened ashrams named ‘Nirmal Hriday’ and ‘Nirmala Shishu Bhavan’, where she herself served the poor and the patients suffering from incurable diseases. This woman showed her spirit of service by showering her affection and love on those who were thrown out of the society.[1]
Mother Teresa became Sister Teresa by taking initiation at the age of just eighteen. During this time, in 1948, she opened a school to teach children and later founded the ‘Missionaries of Charity’. Work done with true dedication and hard work never goes in vain, this saying proved true with Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa’s missionaries of charity opened 755 destitute homes in about 125 countries by 1996, which helped alleviate hunger of about five lakh people.[1]
