Protecting a name built on faith and service — how a house name earned through decades of charitable work was secured against future misuse.
Missionaries of Charity is an international religious congregation founded by Mother Teresa in 1950. Beginning its journey in Calcutta, India, the congregation grew to help the destitute, the poorest of the poor, orphans, lepers and AIDS sufferers. With the spirit of helping the poor and downtrodden in society, Biswajit Sarkar, our senior attorney, volunteered legal service to uplift the intellectual vision of such an acclaimed and esteemed institution by creating Copyright Protection over the house name of Missionaries of Charity.
This intellectual property rights case brought rare acclaim to our team, and more so, stands as an example to the world. The far-sightedness shown in envisioning that the name could later be misused by unscrupulous elements for their own selfish motives is worthy of mention — a concern that has proven prescient in the years since.
"It is starkly relevant today, when the name of this pious and holy institution is used worldwide by nefarious elements in the guise of good work and charity to serve their ulterior motives."
Such misuse persists despite the intellectual rights bestowed by the courts — implementing and protecting such rights remains an arduous task, and the revered institution continues to work at keeping up with its nuances. The case remains a reminder that reputation earned through decades of service deserves the same rigour of protection as any commercial brand.