Clad in a white sari with a blue border, she and the sisters of Missionaries of Charity became a symbol of hope to many - the aged, the destitute, the unemployed, the diseased, the terminally ill, and those abandoned by their families. Nirmal Hriday - the home for the pure heart, the hospice at Shanti Nagar and Shishu Bhawan sought out these very people and gave them hope and dignity. She taught us that compassion, caring and love, are a universal language which all human beings understand, and which also ennoble human existence.
Her Mission, begun small, gradually established itself and began to grow. Often, we may feel that our efforts are miniscule as compared to the challenges that confront us, and what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. Mother Teresa would say that the ocean would be less without that drop. As an example, she would refer to the schools started to teach poor children, and would point out that if these schools were not there, these children would be left on the streets. It is a tribute to her work, which was undertaken with the spirit of wholeheartedly giving of herself to the service of humanity, that at the time of her death, the Missionaries of Charity had over 4,000 sisters operating 610 missions in 123 countries. These included hospices, orphanages, kitchens and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis. The torch she lit brought light wherever she went, wherever her ideas permeated, wherever her homes were established, wherever her nuns working selflessly touched the lives of those around them. She was a social worker to the core of her heart, attending with care and dedication to the poor, the abandoned and the dying. Gandhiji may well have been speaking of Mother Teresa, when he said that where there is pure and active love for the poor, there is God also.
Mother Teresa used the power of Love to overcome every obstacle. Her frail and small frame carried within it immense strength. Her energy was boundless. She gave great attention to the smallest of tasks that she performed. People came to her with all kinds of problems. She used to listen to them and contemplate over the solutions. Her morale and earnestness of purpose were legendary amongst those who interacted with her. Whoever met her, felt the absolute concentration and attention with which she interacted with them, giving of herself and her time freely and generously, with the consequence that she had the power to touch the lives, not only of those around her, but also those who even caught a fleeting glimpse of her. There are numerous examples of those who contributed to her cause, and those to whose lives Mother Teresa's work gave a meaning and a purpose.
She was given many honours by many countries. Honours she wore lightly, for she retained that simplicity of spirit and humility of attitude throughout her life. In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to help the suffering humanity. Speaking on the occasion she said, 'Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat'. With these words she drew attention to situations of hunger of the poor and the hunger for love, for often loneliness can be worse than physical hunger. In this context, she emphasized that it is very important to love those around us. She reminded that in our own family, we may have somebody who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is feeling worried and who would benefit from us giving them companionship and understanding, by simply pausing to listen, by giving of ourselves, by nursing the sick. This is so true in today's world. In the rush of our busy lives, we often find that we have little time for people around us, our loved ones, our parents and grandparents and all those who love us. We need to bring a greater balance in our lives. This can happen if we follow the path of love, compassion and harmony. I am reminded here of the prayer which Mother Teresa used to recite everyday:-
Lord, make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred, I may bring love
Where there is despair, I may bring hope,
Where there is darkness, I may bring light
And where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Mother Teresa left a deep impact on the world. Her death was mourned across the world. Her funeral was attended by people from all walks of life, the rich and the poor alike, deeply bereaved with the passing away of their most revered Mother. As the Birth Centenary of Mother Teresa is being celebrated this month, I join others in paying tribute to her. She has shown us the way of living our life more humanely and meaningfully.
- This is the speech by her Excellency the President of India, Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil at the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Bharat Ratna Mother Teresa