Mother Teresa, who was born on August 26 in 1910, was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary. An affectionate individual, Mother Teresa is known for her humanitarian works. She served people irrespective of their faith. A recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa was declared a saint in September 2016 by Pope Francis. This year, August 26 marks the 110th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa. On her birth anniversary, here are 11 interesting facts about Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa Biopic Featuring Indian and International Actors To Release in 2020.

  1. Mother Teresa was only 8 years old when her father died. It is believed that he was poisoned by his political enemies.

  2. Mother Teresa left her family and home in 1928 when she was 18 to join the Sisters of Loreto at Loreto Abbey in Ireland, to learn English for becoming a missionary. She never saw her family again in her entire life.

  3. She took her solemn vows on May 14, 1937, while she was a teacher at the Loreto convent school in Entally, eastern Kolkata. Mother Teresa Birth Anniversary 2019 Special: Inspiring Quotes By Great Humanitarian on Her 109th Birthday.

  4. Mother Teresa adopted Indian citizenship and spent several months in Patna to receive basic medical training at Holy Family Hospital.

  5. She was deeply disturbed by the Bengal famine of 1943 and the Hindu-Muslim riots in 1947.

  6. Three years later, founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation. The congregation manages homes for people who are dying of HIV, leprosy and tuberculosis.

  7. In 1982, she secretly travelled to Beirut, Lebanon, and offered her service to the children of Christian-dominated East Beirut and Muslim-dominated West Beirut.

  8. Mother Teresa received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding, given for work in South or East Asia, in 1962.

  9. Besides the Nobel Peace Prize, she was also a recipient of Padma Shri.

  10. Once asked whether she converts people, Mother Teresa said: "Yes, I do convert. I convert you to be a better Hindu, a better Christian, a better Catholic, a better Sikh, a better Muslim. When you have found God, it’s up to you to do with him what you want."

  11. Mother Teresa left for heavenly abode on September 5, 1997. A state funeral was accorded to her by the Indian government.

Even after Mother Teresa's death, the Missionaries of Charity continued the good work and still is active in over 130 countries. She proved time and again that humanity knows no religion.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 25, 2020 11:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).