Alphonsa Muttathupadathu was born on August 19, 1910 in Kudamaloor a rural village near Kottayam to Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu. She was baptized on August 27,1910  at Saint Mary's Church  in Kudamaloor. Anna's mother died when she was very young, so her maternal aunt raised her. In 1916 she started school in Arpookara. She received  First Communion on November 27,1917. In  1918  she transferred to the school in Muttuchira. In 1923  Anna was badly burned on her feet when she fell into a pit of burning chaff . This accident left her permanently disabled . 

She arrived at the Poor Clares  convent at Bharananganam  on  Pentecost 1927. She received the  postulant’s veil on Augest 2, 1928 and took the name Alphonsa. In May 1929  she entered the Malayalam  High School at Vazhappally. Her foster-mother died in 1930. In December, 1936  she was miraculously cured from her ailments through the intervention of  Saint Therese of Lisieux and Blessed  Kuriakose Elias Chavara. Pope John Paul II formally approved a miracle attributed to her intercession and, on 9 July 1985 , she received the title Venerable Sister Alphonsa. On June 14, 1939 she was struck by a severe attack of double –pneumonia, which left her weakened and later she died on  July 28, 1946 after a painful illness. 

On February 8,1986 Pope John Paul II beatified  her at Kottayam. On June 1, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI authorised her canonization, the proceedings of which will be completed in 2008. When the church officially declares her a saint, Blessed Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception will became the first woman and the second saint form India, the first being Saint Gonsalo Garcia, A Franciscan lay brother from Bassein, now Vasai,near Mumbai. Gonsalo Garcia suffered martyrdom by crucifixon in 1597 in Nagasaki, Japan and Pope Pius  IX canonised him in 1862.