Padma Shri awardee, Irish-born nun passes away at 86

Kolkata, June 25 (HS): Sister Cyril, a former principal of Loreto Sealdah and an educator who worked for the impoverished for several decades here, has died. She was 86 years old. According to the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Loreto Residence in Entally, she died on Saturday. Sister Cyril, the head of Loreto Sealdah here for 32 years, was known for her creative ways of teaching and delivering education to rural and urban impoverished students. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2007 for pioneering the 'Rainbow' programme in 1983, in which students from English medium schools educated financially disadvantaged youngsters during regular school hours.

The Irish-born nun, who was in her 69th year of her religious life, had arrived in Kolkata, then Calcutta, in 1956 and had made it her home ever since. Sister Cyril was residing at an old age home for nuns near Entally. She also served on numerous state education advisory bodies after retiring as principal of Loreto Sealdah.

Hindusthan Samachar/Abhishek Awasthi