The Society of Sisters of St. Anne is a Pontifical Congregation. It was chiefly founded for the empowerment of the powerless, especially women and girls. This vision of the Congregation springs from the life and work of the Foundress Thattipathri Gnanamma. In the 1860’s she sensed the inner longing of the girls for liberation in kilacheri village, near Chennai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sensitivity to the cry of the poor and creative response to the signs of the times define the core identity of the Congregation. This drives the Sisters of St.Anne-Chennai to engage themselves in liberative, empowering and life -giving mission for the marginalized.
     In 1979, on 6th December the Congregation was elevated to the Pontifical Status by Pope John Paul II. The Generalate is located in Madavaram - Chennai. In 1987, it was divided into three regional administrative units with headquarters in Bangalore, Chennai and Thanjavur. These units were later elevated to the status of Provinces in 1993. From then on the sisters involve in many ministries – social, spiritual, cultural, pastoral, medical, educational - that manifest in concrete actions the word of God and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.