Sister Nirmala, who succeeded Mother Teresa as the head of Missionaries of Charity founded by the Nobel laureate, died here in the wee hours today.
She was 81.
A Missionaries of Charity official said Sister Nirmala was unwell for the past few months and her health condition had deteriorated since May.
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"She was having heart-related ailments since months and her condition deteriorated since May," Archbishop of Calcutta Father Thomas D'Souza told PTI.
The Archbishop visited St John's Church this evening where Sister Nirmala's body has been kept for people to pay their last respect.
He organised a mass prayer and paid his last homage to Sister Nirmala.
"I met her some 15 days ago when she was unconscious and struggling. But her condition improved in the last few days when she had regained consciousness and talked about the work to be done for the MoC. But she never spoke about her illness. She breathed her last peacefully. She was a great soul," the Archbishop of the city said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also paid a visit to St John's Church and condoled Sister Nirmala's death.
"I express my condolence on the demise of Sister Nirmala formerly Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity. This revered nun dedicated her entire life to the services of the distressed. She shouldered great responsibility of Superior General for 12 long years. Her death is (an) irreparable loss. May her soul rest in peace," Banerjee told reporters at Nabanna.
After morning mass at St John's Church, Sister Nirmala's body would be taken to Mother House tomorrow at around 10 AM, a MoC official said.
Her body would be kept there till 5 PM to allow people to have a last glimpse. Then her body would be taken to the century-old graveyard of St John's Church for the last rites, the official added.
Sister Mary Prema succeeded Sister Nirmala in April 2009.
