“The child is the beauty of God present in the world,” Saint Teresa often said about children for whom she dedicated her life. Through her service, Mother had touched the lives of several homeless children and sheltered them.

A few hours before Mother Teresa&’s anointment as a Saint, several hundred students of different schools of Kolkata came together to celebrate Mother&’s sainthood in their own way through a series of performances projecting different aspects of her life. Reputed schools — Children&’s Foundation, Calcutta Girls School, La Martiniere for Girls, Young Horizon school and The Heritage School– participated in the celebration.

The auditorium echoed with the soulful rendition of the song “Wonderful world build for joy and not for sorrow” by the students of Children Foundation School.

As the young talents performed John Lennon&’s Imagine, the vision of a world at peace without the barriers of borders or the divisions of religion was imagined, a world envisioned by Mother too.

It has been 19 years since her death but her legacy is still carried on through the service of the nuns of the Missionaries of Charity. The drama performances by the young minds of La Martiniere for Girls brought out the services rendered by the organisation that helped transform the lives of several afflicted and carry forward the services of the Mother.

The choreography performed by the students of Calcutta Girls School chronicled the life of Mother Teresa and reminded of the hardships she had to endure to carry out her work, while the Heritage School&’s presentation brought out the likeness between the Mother nature and Mother Teresa in the way she bestowed her love on her children.

Father Felix Raj, a prominent economist and the principal of St Xavier&’s College, who was present on the occasion, recounted his association with the Mother that lasted almost 22 years before her death.

“We know she has inspired thousands of followers in several countries across the globe. World leaders have acclaimed her as a global citizen,” he said.

Addressing the pressing question that often critics raise claiming she worked for conversion, Father Felix Raj said, “This holy woman was also misunderstood. Critics often blamed her for working for conversion. The reality is she has not converted anyone to a particular religious faith.”