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
Missionaries in India criticized Shourie for his book and presented a critique of the book. As the campaign against Shourie and his book on missionaries in India grew larger, Prajna Bharati, an intellectual forum with headquarters in Hyderabad, invited several senior churchmen to discuss "Missionaries in India" with Shourie on a public platform. Fr. Kanjamala debated with Shourie on the contents of the book on 4 September 1994. Soon after the publication of the book by Shourie, Vishal Mangalwadi, an Indian Christian writer and activist, began to write letters to Shourie in which he responded to various issues raised by him. Shourie, evidently,