After completing the schoolmistresses test, she joined the staff of St. Xavier's Free School, George Town, Madras in 1875.

She founded the Third Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel known today as the Institute of the Carmelite Sisters of Saint Teresa (CSST) on 24 April 1887 in Ernakulam, Kerala, India, and also founded St. Teresa's English Medium School for Girls on 9 May 1887.

[4][1] She died in a train accident on 12 September 1902 at Mangapatnam, Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh, India.

[4][1] The Archbishop of Bengaluru diocese Bernard Moras initiated the diocesan inquiry of cause of beatification and canonization of Teresa on 22 August 2015 and she was declared a Servant of God.

[5] Teresa had a dream, an Indian English-language biographical film directed by Raju Abraham was released in 2020.