Iris Grace Rajakumari Paul

Iris Grace Rajakumari Walter was born in 1945 in Tamil Nadu, India. The oldest child of four, she and her siblings enjoyed a comfortable childhood in an affluent family. Her father was the Chief Engineer at the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department[4] and moved his family around frequently, including to Tamil Nadu, Chennai, and Delhi, where Iris learned to speak Hindi. As a child, Paul was described as rebellious, headstrong, and boisterous, despite the expectations imposed on her by her parents and the rest of society.[2] Paul grew up in a Christian family and was deeply influenced by her parent's commitment to their religion.[citation needed] During her time at the Women's Christian College, Paul was involved in the Union of Evangelical Studies of India (ESI).[citation needed] After completing her courses in junior college, Paul applied for medical colleges and B.Sc. courses in biology and zoology. Having not received acceptances from any of her medical colleges, she decided to jo

Iris Grace Rajakumari Paul (born 1945) is an Indian physician, theologian, missionary, and community development worker. A devout Christian born into a highly religious family, Paul received her B.Sc. in zoology from Women's Christian College in Madras and completed her MBBS in pediatrics from Kilpauk Medical College. Paul was inspired to conduct missionary work after reading the biography of Albert Schweitzer and began her missionary career after marrying RAC Paul in 1972.[1] The couple worked with the Indian Missionary Society in the villages of Malkangiri, India before joining the Indian Evangelical Mission to gain support for their work with the tribal Bondo people. Paul helped treated various diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, and dysentery. She conducted research particularly in tuberculosis and became a fellow of the India National College of Chest Physicians in 1986. After the death of her husband, Paul continued her missionary work in Malkangiri, eventually founding the Reaching Hands Society in 1994. Paul was awarded the Yoke Fellow Award from the Direction Mission Aid Society for her development work among the Adivasis people, as well as the Robert Pierce Award by World Vision International for her Christian development work.