Nun dies in road accident in south India

A nun died in a vehicular accident in Andhra, a southern state of India on January 30. She was 53.

Sister Showri Deepthi Nannam, a member of Congregation of Saint Anne Phirangipuram was hit in front of St. Anne’s Convent at Markapur in Nellore district by a two-wheeler at 8.30 pm (local time) as she was crossing the road after she got down from a bus, according to sources.

The nun sustained several injuries on her head and succumbed to her injuries. 

The congregation was shocked to know the “sudden death” of Sister Showri who died due to a road accident, said Sister Anthonamma, superior general of the congregation.

Sister Showri was the principal of Saint Anne’s English Medium School and superior of Saint Anne’s Convent at Markapur in Nellore diocese, south India. 

She was born on September 7, 1968, at Chinnamanayanikota, which is considered as the 'Mini Nazareth' in the Anantapur district of the Kurnool Diocese. 

The villagers said that more than 50 people from the village have been priests and nuns in the service of God till date Sister Showri was born as the fourth of nine children to Nannam Lourdayya and Inyasamma Navaratna, a pious couple from that village.

Sister Showri made her first religious vows in the congregation on December 13, 1988 and made her final profession after six years.

She celebrated her silver jubilee of being a nun in 2018. She was engaged for years in the education ministry. The motto of her missionary life was “I see my Jesus in the poor and oppressed.”

Her peers say that the nun has been at the forefront not only in spiritual matters but also in sports since childhood. 

Educated at Roman Catholic Mission Elementary Aided School, Chennamanayunikotta till grade five, she completed grade 10 at St. Mary's High School, Ramachandranagar, Anantapur. Afterward, she was called by God and joined the congregation for about 28 years, rendering services to people.

The Congregation of Saint Anne Phirangipuram works in Guntur and Hyderabad.

In the 19th century, Thatipatri Gnanamma, a laywoman and widow from Phirangipuram, a small village in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, founded the congregation. Its main focus of missionary work has been in education, healthcare, evangelization, and social development. 

With inputs from Radio Veritas Telugu Service