Hildegard Klein, a guiding light for poor girls in Nagapattinam passes away

98-year-old sister Hildegard Klein, who founded ''Gnanapoo Illam'', an institution, offering free education to poor girls at Porayar in Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu died in Germany.

Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu): Sister Hildegard Klein, who founded ''Gnanapoo Illam'', an institution, offering free education to poor girls at Porayar in Nagapattinam district, died in Germany on Monday night.

The 98-year-old, Klein arrived at Mayiladuthurai in 1954 and founded the''Gnanapoo Illam'' (House of Wisdom) in 1960 at Porayar and earned the respect of the local people who fondly called her ''Amma''.

After serving at the Illam for over 30 years, sheleft for Germany in 1990. Even after settling there, she was in constant touch with the institution and kept visiting frequently. Several households in Porayar area organised special prayers in her memory on Tuesday.

PTI