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
Nirmala (novel) issues. The story uses fiction to highlight an era of much needed social reform in 1920s Indian society. "Nirmala" was serialized in 1928 in "Chand", a women’s magazine in which the novel’s feminist character was represented. "Nirmala" is somewhat like "Godaan" (published in 1936) in that it deals with the exploitation of the village poor, and was translated by multiple scholarly translators. It was first translated in 1988 as "The Second Wife" by David Rubin, and in 1999 as "Nirmala" by Alok Rai, Premchand's grandson. Udayabhanu Lal, a lawyer by profession, arranged to marry off his 15-years-old daughter Nirmala to