Nirmala Joshi of the first Sisters of the institute to head a foreign mission when she went to Panama. In 1976, Joshi started the contemplative branch of the Missionaries of Charity and remained at its head until 1997, when she was elected to succeed Mother Teresa as Superior General of the institute. The government of India bestowed the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award, on Sister Joshi on Republic Day (26 January) 2009 for her services to the nation. Her term as Superior General ended on 25 March 2009, and she was succeeded by German born Sister Mary Prema Pierick. Joshi
History of Pentecostalism in India Cook. A later foundation, in 1953, was the Sharon Fellowship, which runs the Sharon Women's Bible College. Many of the Pentecostal churches in India are represented in the Assemblies of God in India. During the early 20th century the Pentecostal movement experienced rapid growth with the arrival of a number of foreign missionaries. One of the most significant among the missionaries of that period was Robert F. Cook, from the United States. Though a number of missionaries came before him and though the Pentecostal experience took place in India independent of foreign missionary work, it was Cook who first established