Material for PGPSE participants of AFTERSCHOOOL CENTRE FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. PGPSE is an entrepreneurship oriented programme, open for all, free for all.

1. About 20 years before India gained its freedom, Christian missionaries from Yugoslavia came
to India to render humanitarian services. They were extremely affected by the conditions of
poverty rampant in India and so invited people from their country to serve here. Amongst
these was a special girl called Agnes Goxa Bojaxiu, who is today known as Mother Teresa.
Arrival In India
Agnes was born on August 27, 1910 and was just 19 years when she came to Calcutta on
January 6, 1929. And she never left this country. Her aim in life was to serve the sick and the
poor and she dedicated her full life towards this purpose. She would roam the dangerous dark
and dirty streets of Calcutta at night, covering the cold and offering food and shelter to the
poor. When she first arrived in Calcutta, she had just Rs. 5.00, and was helped by a priest.
She lived in a small room for 9 years, where she nursed the ill back to health. Compassion,
dignity and sympathy marked her every action.
Mission Of Charity
Through her efforts she managed to open several institutions to help the downtrodden e.g.
'Missionaries of Charity', ' Nirmal Hriday', and 'Shishu Bhavan' whish houses the mentally and
physically challenged children. Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and
the Bharat Ratna in 1980. Besides these she also received the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for
International Peace (1972), Ramon Magsaysay Award (1962) and the Templeton Foundation
Award (1973). As the Mother- General of the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa has a
thousand Missionary institutions working under her.
Despite all the public acclaim, national and international honours, mother Teresa remained
humble, kind and generous till the end. The Florence Nightingale of India passed away in
September 1997.