Kolkata: The characteristic blue and white stripes that the world associates with Mother Teresa can no longer be used either on attire or items of stationery without the permission of the Missionaries of Charity. The unique pattern is now a registered trademark with the government of India’s Trade Marks Registry. Any violation can invite prosecution.
The application for trademark for use of the stripes on stationery items, textiles and for social and charitable services was made on December 12, 2013. The trademark for use of the pattern for social and charitable services came through on November 30, 2015. The trademarks for stationery and textiles were registered on September 4, 2016, barely hours before Mother Teresa was declared a Saint by Pope Francis in the Vatican.
“Though the patterns were declared a trademark 10 months ago, the Missionaries of Charity wasn’t too eager to highlight the fact as it isn’t too keen on punishing people,” said Biswajit Sarkar of Biswajit Sarkar Advocates — IP Attorneys, a law firm associated with the organization. But things changed after stray incidents of people making money by using the pattern emerged.
According to Biswajit Sarkar, incidents of people making money by using the blue and white pattern recently came to the notice of the Missionaries of Charity and so a decision was taken to raise awareness about it, The Times of India reported.
“In one incident, somebody misused the trademark and received money from a donor in Mumbai. There are also people selling mementos and memorabilia with the trademark and buyers feel that the proceeds are going to the Missionaries of Charity. We have also come across a book with the trademark on the cover, misleading readers to believe that it has something to do with the organization. We simply want to protect the identity of the organisation,” Sarkar added.
The trademark pattern and colour combination started with a pair of saris that Mother Teresa bought from Mahatma Gandhi Road (then Harrison Street) on August 8, 1948. The white saris had three blue stripes – two thin followed by a broader one – along the borders. A day later, she got the saris blessed by Father Van Exem at the Sacristy of the Convent Chapel. She wore the first sari on the evening of
August 17, 1948. This was the dress she was to wear thereafter.
The saris with blue stripes are now woven by leprosy patients at the Gandhiji Prem Niwas, run by the Missionaries of Charity in Titagarh, North 24-Parganas. Nearly 4,000 saris are woven and supplied to Kolkata every year. These are then distributed to nuns across the world.