Middleton Row: The Catholic Association of Bengal, an organisation of Roman Catholics, has got its first woman president in 107 years.

Angelina Mantosh Jasnani was elected president of the association by the executive committee at a meeting at the Presbytery of St Thomas Church on Middleton Row on Sunday.

"Angelina Mantosh Jasnani has become the first lady president of the Catholic Association of Bengal, the oldest Catholic lay organisation in Calcutta. She has been a woman of strength and dynamism, charitable and philanthropist all the way. Her taking over the mantle of the president will gap the distance between laity and religious and they will work hand in hand to boost the activities of the Church in Bengal," said a note issued by Father Devraj Fernandes on Monday.

The association brings together lay people who work alongside the clergy on various church activities such as uplifting the poor and downtrodden, promoting education and offering health care to those less privileged.

"I am overwhelmed to have been elected the first woman president of the association. I have been working with the church for several years. I am associated with various social welfare activities. My focus will be on bringing together the lay men and women in the Catholic community and work towards solving various problems of the society. Education, health and jobs will be the main focus of our work," Jasnani told Metro.

The association has members from 20 Roman Catholic churches in Bengal. Two members are elected from each of the 20 churches for setting up the executive committee. The 40 members of the committee then elect the president.

This is the first time a woman had contested for the president, a member of the association said. "There were no women contestants before as no one had thought of having a woman president before. It was a sweeping victory for Angelina," Father Devraj said.