“Warm, welcoming, an inspiring personality, and a woman of strength and substance.” These are the words used by students to describe Sister Elizabeth, Principal of Jyoti Nivas College in Bengaluru. She succumbed to COVID-19 on Tuesday, June 22. The funeral service was held on Wednesday where the 57-year-old professor fondly called the ‘Iron lady’ of JNC was laid to rest. Sr Elizabeth fought a 50-day long battle with the coronavirus and was on ventilator support at a private hospital in the city. Sr Elizabeth, being a student of JNC herself, joined the college as a lecturer in psychology in 1992. She went on to become the Vice Principal in 2004 and then took over the responsibilities as Principal in 2010.
“Young women, who want to be educated, and aspire for more, will not be stopped,” said Principal Elizabeth once. She strongly believed in supporting and giving direction to young girls to become women with integrity, commitment, dignity, courage and conviction. In one of her reports as Principal she stated that “women with strong minds, fearless hearts, lofty ideals and a clear vision can combat divisive and destructive forces which are sapping the roots of our society and weakening the foundations of our civilization; women who can stand for truth, fight injustice, intolerance and inequality and usher in an era of peace, prosperity, truth and justice.”
Speaking to TNM, Pratibha Koratagere, official of the admission department at JNC and a fellow colleague of Sr Elizabeth for 17 years said, “As a Principal, she was dynamic, efficient, highly knowledgeable with an excellent clarity of thought and did everything to take the college to higher standards and rank. As a person, she was extremely kind-hearted, spiritual and always willing to share with the needy and underprivileged. No words can encapsulate her persona. It was an incredible learning experience working under her.”
“She was always approachable and understood matters from the students’ perspective. Our last official interaction with her was via an online call in which she wanted to check up on the students and how we were dealing with the pandemic. I could not believe it when I heard that we lost her,” Trisha Verma, Student President, JNC told TNM. “We were always backed by her and she always took interest in all our endeavours during and after college too. I will always remember her as a humble, guiding and inspiring person,” said a former student, Rebecca Kasper who graduated from JNC in 2020.
Alumni of the college who studied under Sister Elizabeth and her fellow classmates, also expressed their grief and condolences on Twitter:
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson, Biocon Limited shared,“I am deeply saddened to hear this tragic news. RIP.”
I am deeply saddened to hear this tragic news. RIP pic.twitter.com/kyt2DWUasy
— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) June 23, 2021
Sreya, a former student of Sr Elizabeth, shared the news of her unfortunate demise and her gratitude for supporting her through a tough time. “My college principal passed on today after battling COVID for a long time. She took me in and gave me a home when I had no place to go during my last semester, protecting me against my stalker. I will forever be in her debt. Rest in peace sister Elizabeth,” she wrote.
This disease has robbed us of so much! What a lovely teacher she was. She taught us abnormal psychology in the last semester and we had so much fun going to her block and sitting in her AC room.
— Rebellia (@darthdevi) June 22, 2021
“She was my classmate at JNC! She was a rank student; a wonderful, gentle and cheerful girl then and an amazingly capable and compassionate principal later. RIP, Liz. Forever in our hearts,” shared her classmate on Twitter
She was my classmate at JNC! She was a rank student; a wonderful, gentle and cheerful girl then and an amazingly capable and compassionate principal later. RIP, Liz. Forever in our hearts.
— Calmpanthi (@jomama_india) June 23, 2021