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Geneva, 1 May 2007
Dear Mrs. Pauline Sathiamurthy,
We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Dr. Mrs. Renuka Mukerji Somasekhar, former General Secretary of the Church of South India.
Mrs. Somasekhar, a devout Christian and church leader from India, will be remembered for having provided outstanding leadership to Church and Society in India and abroad. Her illustrious contributions in the field of higher education in the post independence era has been widely acclaimed and recognised. Her role as General Secretary of the Church of South India, as President of the National Council of Churches in India, as Chairperson of the Student Christian Movement of India and as member of various committees of the World Council of Churches from 1958 to 1975, as well as her ministry with the Division of Overseas Missions in New York continue to be recognized and appreciated by the ecumenical family in India and beyond. Her legacy as a committed Christian who was at the helm of affairs of a pioneering institution of higher education in India - the Women's Christian College, Madras - will be remembered, especially for her contributions to inspiring and instilling a sense of social responsibility to generations of women students.
We join with numerous friends, relatives, students and well-wishers who mourn the passing away of Mrs. Somasekhar and express our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. We thank God for the life and witness of Mrs. Renuka Mukerji Somesekhar as we pray that her soul rest in peace and her memory be eternal.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia
General Secretary
