Nuns given Mother Teresa copyright

The Vatican plans to beatify Mother Teresa this year

An order of nuns has managed to secure copyright of Mother Teresa's name to prevent it being exploited by commercial interests.

The Missionaries of Charity, an order of nuns founded by Mother Teresa and based in the city of Calcutta, India, applied for copyright to her name and the name of the order last month.

It found that Mother Teresa's name and its own name were being used for banks, children's home and even a management institute.

The order also applied for protection to its logo, a rosary-encircled globe with a cross in the centre, reputedly designed by Mother Teresa herself.

"We are happy to know that Mother Teresa's name and the logo cannot be used or reproduced without the consent of Missionaries of Charity," Sister Christie from the order told French news agency AFP.

Mother Teresa, who was of Albanian origin, died in Calcutta in 1997 at the age of 87 after a life devoted to care of the poor and sick.

A household name, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Regarded by some as a saint for her work among India's poor, the Roman Catholic Church is also expected to beatify her later this year as part of the process of making her a saint.