By Jessy Joseph
New Delhi, Aug 24, 2020: A Catholic nun, who pioneered a credit society that helped change the destiny of thousands of women in Mumbai, has died of Covid-19.
Sister Shakuntala, a member of Society of the Helpers of Mary for 51 years, died on August 23 at Mumbai’s Holy Spirit Hospital. She was 73.
She was buried in Mumbai’s Oshiwara Christian Cemetery on Aug. 24 in the presence of the parish priest and a few nuns.
Sister Shakuntala was staying at Ma-Niketan in Thane and nuns there are in quarantine now, Sister Ragina Joseph, secretary general of the indigenous congregation, told Matters India over phone.
Sister Shakuntala was an executive committee member of the Mumbai unit of the Conference of Religious India for several years. She was its vice president during 2013-2014.
Sister Shakuntala is credited with starting Prem Seva Mahila (loving service to women) Credit Society in Mumbai.
“Sister Shakuntala started the credit society in Mumbai’s Vakola 27 years ago to help poor women and their families. It has now some 9,800 members,” Sister Joseph said. A second such society launched in Thane’s Bhokali area has some 5,000 members, the Mumbai-based nun added.
According to Sister Joseph, thousands of women have benefitted from the society Sister Shakuntala started. Sister Shakuntala gave loans to the credit society members to to educate their children, start small businesses so that they could make a difference in their lives, Sister Joseph explained.
Sr Shakuntala had also helped children of migrant workers get better education and find jobs so that they can sustain themselves.
Another project Sister Shakuntala started was feeding the poor in Maharashtra’s Kinwart village. She had provided cooked food to around 200 senior citizens, differently abled, HIV/AIDS patients daily, Sister Joseph said.
When an earth quake hit Maharashtra’s Latur district in 1993, as many as 52 villages were affected in Osmanabad, some 80 km southwest. Sister Shakuntala reached there the next day and worked among the affected people. She and a companion visited families and counselled people, besides helping in relief and rehabilitation. Sr Shakuntala and team also worked in Maharashtra’s Nadihattarga village.
Sister Shakuntala celebrated her golden jubilee on December 2, 2019.
She had served as the superior in many communities. She coordinated various social activities especially women empowerment, Sister Joseph said.
During May and June, when the country was under lockdown, Sister Shakuntala went out to help stranded migrant workers. “She was very much worried about the migrants during the lockdown. She was busy arranging loans to the migrant workers and helping them to get back to their native places,” the secretary general recalled.
Sr Shakuntala, a native of Kerala’s Trichur district, was a good singer who played guitar, drums and harmonium. “She used to be very vibrant at any gathering or community outings that kept the group together,” Sister Joseph said.
The ever-smiling nun’s motto in life was to empower the women to change society. She had special love for poor women and differently able people and could mingle with the young and old easily, she added. “Her right leg was little shorter and she had limping problem. So she had a soft corner for the physically challenged people. She had helped many of them to start small business.”
When she was in Varanasi she used to sing Bhajans in the evenings to bring people together, Sister Joseph added.
The congregation that was started by a German nun Mother Anna Huberta and a Jesuit priest Joseph Neuner in 1942 now has 360 members in 69 houses.
A great soul we have lost, I as a kid had an opportunity of knowing sr Shakuntala from close . A gifted and empathetic person.May her soul rest in peace.stella vyas
Respectful farewell to our loving sister Shakuntala May her soul rest in peace 🙏💐
Rip .Sister
I am saddened at the demise of Sr. Shaku (fondly called) whom I knew in Varanasi when she first arrived in our community. We sang bhjans with her when she came for any program for religious. Indeed she was a joyful religious and very vibrant missionary. May her soul rest in peace!
May Lord take her to heaven and Rest In Peace.
God rest her soul in peace that she may enjoy in your kingdom 🙏
Great soul and great works. May the Lord grant her Eternal Reward.
Sr. Shakuntala was a gift from God to humanity and her institution. She rendered yeoman service to uplift the underprivileged. This is selfless work and in the process I am sure she has inspired others to carry on the work she has left. May God grant her eternal peace in his kingdom of love
R,I P
May her soul test in peace
May her soul rest in peace. May the good Lord reward her for the great work she has done for the poor
Mai the soul rest in peace 😭😭😇😇
Ever smiling Sister who never gets discouraged no matter what situation comes. She is always a front warrior for all women..She as inspired thousands of people in Thane at Dokali..though she is no more yet she is still alive in our heart..from darkness to light her mission will keep on flaming in Dokali Thane..
Eternal rest be her soul now and forever. Amen.
Respectful condolences to all sisters doing excellent work for the poor and afflicted.
Let the Almighty reward the soul of Sr
Shakuntala. May she rest in peace. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto Sr. Shakuntala’s soul O Lord, and let the Perpetual light shine upon her and may her soul rest in peace Amen 🙏
Our heartfelt condolences to all the sisters of the Congragation Holy Spirit and to the family members of Sr. Shakuntala.
Sister Shaku, We will miss you ! Praise God for such a soul .She sacrificed her entire life for the welfare of people around her , the needy , downtrodden and the lowly. She had that compassion and genuine love for them which I truly appreciate and Salute her. May God bless Her soul and also the institution she was working with for uplifting people.
Eternal rest 🙏 to Sr Shakuntala.
Let’s pray, to join a woman to fill her place in the convent to serve the work What was incomplete by her to the society.Let her soul rest in eternal peace.
All Glory, Honour, Praise and Thanksgiving to Abba Father God for the gift of Sister Shakuntala, who has given selfless service to the poor and the downtrodden for 51 years out of her 73 years of joyful life as a Religious Nun, working hard to improve the lives of the poor people wherever she lived. Thank you Sister Shakuntala for your life of truth and goodness lived only for others to bring joy, peace and happiness to the people. We will always remember you for living a life of service, and for taking up your cross, carrying your cross and following Jesus. May you now enjoy a life of eternal happiness and joy with Jesus, and in the company of Our Dearest Blessed Virgin Mother Mary and the Angels and Saints in Heaven. Amen. Amen.
Death does not stop at the cross there is more to it as in Resurrection. CONDOLENCE MESSAGE: Deepest sympathy to the family members and institution Sr. SHAKUNTALA has served. From . Teresa Johnson and Larissa D’silva MRS MENDES’NURSERY MAHIM 9152037374/022-24462391
May she rest in eternal bliss for all that she did to make the lives of so many better R.I. P Sister
Let us praise and thank God for giving Sr Shakuntala Nun a beautiful chance to serve the poor and the needy in His time.
A beautiful soul who will live in the heart for ever… We will definitely miss you dear…
May ur soul rest in peace in His heavenly kingdom….🙏🙏🙏
May her soul rest in peace
Respectful farewell to Sister Shakuntala. Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon the departed soul. Strength and courage to all her loved ones.
Sr. Shaku as we call her, your smile will still contnue to spread and bring joy in this world. Thanks for all that you have achieved especially for women
Let us praise and thank God for giving Sr Shakuntala a beautiful chance to serve the poor and the needy in His time.
A beautiful soul who will live in the hearts of thousands.
May her soul rest in peace in His heavenly kingdom.
Let us thank God for the life of this noble soul. But my faith is challenged every time a Corona warrior succumbs to the virus.