Noor Inayat Khan : Princess, Spy, Martyr, Heroine
By Anwar Hussain
This is a fascinating story so behold.
Sultan Fateh Ali Tipu, also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in India. His full name was Sultan Fateh Ali Khan Shahab or Tipu Saheb Tipu Sultan. He was not just a ruler but also a scholar, a soldier, and a poet. He was a devout Muslim but the majority of his subjects were Hindus. At the request of the French, he built a church, the first in Mysore. The French also trained his army. He helped his father Haider Ali defeat the British in the Second Mysore War. However, he was defeated in the Third and the Fourth Anglo-Mysore Wars by the combined forces of the British East India Company and the Nizam of Hyderabad, another Muslim ruler. Tipu Sultan died fighting in the defense of his capital Srirangapattana, on 4 May 1799.
In Tipu Sultan’s lineage, a child by the name of Inayat Khan was born in the year 1882 in a noble Indian family. Inayat Khan’s mother was a descendent from the immediate family of Tipu Sultan. He was introduced to the Suhrawardiyya, Qadiriyya and Naqshbandi orders of Sufism but his primary initiation was into the Nizamiyya sub-branch of the Chishti Order. He was also indebted to the philosophical Vedanta/Shankara spirituality of Hinduism.
With his mentor’s encouragement Inayat Khan, later to be known as Hazrat Inayat Khan, left India in 1910 to come to the West, travelling first as a touring musician and then as a teacher of Sufism, visiting three continents. Eventually he married Ora Ray Baker from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was later known as Pirani Ameena Begum. Ora Baker was the half-sister of American yogi and scholar, Pierre Bernard, her guardian at the time she met Hazrat Inayat Khan.
Inayat Khan had four children with Pirani Ameena Begum–two sons and two daughters–with the eldest being Noor-un-Nisa. Noor-un-Nisa, later known as Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan, was born in the Kremlin in 1913 where her father was received as guest of the Czar Nicholas II. The Czar, his country troubled by internal unrest and looming war, was seeking spiritual solutions to the problems facing his regime. Therefore, the influential Gregory Rasputin invited Inayat Khan to visit Russia in order to share with the Emperor’s family and court his Sufistic doctrines of peace and love.
In 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, the Khan family left Russia for London and lived in Bloomsbury, while Noor attended kindergarten at Notting Hill. In 1920, they settled in France, moving into a house in Suresnes near Paris, a gift from a supporter of the Sufi movement. After the death of her father in 1927, Noor had to take additional responsibility for her grief-stricken mother and her younger siblings. The young girl, variously described as calm, timid, astute, and pensive, studied child psychology at the Sorbonne and music at Paris conservatory under the famous Nadia Boulanger, composing for harp and piano. She started a career of writing poetry and children’s stories and became a regular contributor to children’s magazines and French radio. In 1939 her book, Twenty Jataka Tales, inspired by the Jātaka tales of Buddhist tradition, was published in London.
After the outbreak of World War II, when France was overrun by the Wehrmacht in 1940, the family fled from Paris to Bordeaux and from there by sea to London, landing in Falmouth, Cornwall in June 1940. Although Noor Inayat Khan was deeply influenced by the pacifist teachings of her father, she and her brother Vilayat Inayat Khan decided to help defeat Nazi tyranny. (Vilayat Inayat Khan later became head of the Sufi Order International.) So on November 19, 1940 she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), and as an Aircraftwoman 2nd Class, she was sent to be trained as a wireless operator. Later she was recruited to join F (France) Section of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and in early February 1943 she was posted to the Air Ministry, Directorate of Air Intelligence. During her training she adopted the name Nora Baker.
Her fluency in French and her competency in wireless operation—coupled with a shortage of experienced agents—made her a desirable candidate for service in Nazi-occupied France. On the night between 16/17 June 1943, cryptonymed ‘Madeleine’ and under the cover identity of Jeanne-Marie Regnier, Noor Inayat Khan was dropped behind enemy lines in occupied France.
Together with two other women SOE agents, Noor joined the Physician network led by Francis Suttill, code named Prosper. Over the next month and a half, all the other Physician network radio operators were arrested by the Sicherheitsdienst (SD). In spite of the danger, Noor rejected an offer to return to Britain and continued transmitting as the last essential link between London and Paris. Moving from place to place, she managed to escape capture while maintaining wireless communications with London. Finally, Noor Inayat Khan was betrayed to the Germans allegedly by a French Air Force pilot who worked as a double agent for the Nazis.
On or around 13 October 1943 Inayat Khan was arrested and interrogated at the SD Headquarters in Paris. Though SOE trainers had expressed doubts about Inayat Khan’s gentle and innocent character, on her arrest she fought like a tigress. Thereafter, the SD officers were afraid of her and she was treated as an extremely dangerous prisoner. Hans Kieffer, the former head of Gestapo in Paris, testified after the war that she didn’t give the Gestapo a single piece of information despite continuous grilling.
On 25 November 1943, Inayat Khan escaped from the SD Headquarters, along with two other SOE Agents but was captured in the immediate vicinity. There was an air raid alert as they escaped across the roof and regulations required a count of prisoners at such times. Their escape was discovered before they could get away. Consequently, Inayat Khan was taken to Germany on 27 November 1943 “for safe custody” and imprisoned at Pforzheim in solitary confinement, without any contact with the outside world and in complete secrecy.
She was classified as “highly dangerous” and shackled in chains most of the time. As the prison director testified after the war, Noor Inayat Khan remained uncooperative and continued to refuse to give any information on her work or her fellow operatives. On 11 September 1944 Noor Inayat Khan and three other SOE agents from Karlsruhe prison, Yolande Beekman, Eliane Plewman and Madeleine Damerment, were moved to the Dachau Concentration Camp.
It was a crisp Munich morning on September 13, 1944 when the four shackled women were led to the execution grounds. All were made to kneel. Friedrich Wilhelm Ruppert, the SS trooper in charge of executions, gave the orders to shoot. By eyewitness account, one by one the troopers shot Madeleine Damerment, Eliane Plewman, and Yolande Beekman.
Come the turn of the fourth prisoner, Wilhelm stopped the executioners. He stepped forward and hit the fourth prisoner with his gun butt. When she fell to the ground, he kicked her till she was reduced to a bloody mess. She was raised to her knees forcibly. Wilhelm then shot her in the back of her head thus bringing to an abrupt end the short life of Princess, spy, heroine, martyr Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan, a great great granddaughter of Tipu Sultan, the last Muslim sovereign of South India. One died fighting British imperialism. The other died for Britain fighting Nazi imperialism. Her last word was “Liberté”. She was 30 years old.
Noor Inayat Khan was posthumously awarded a British Mention in Dispatches and a French Croix de Guerre with Gold Star. Noor Inayat Khan was the third of three World War II FANY members to be awarded the George Cross, Britain’s highest award for gallantry not on the battle field.
So what do we do dear readers? Be happy that she lived or sad because she died? Or salute her cherished memory and move on with a mournful heart?
X-X-X-X
Spy, Heroine, Martyr Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan was dedicated spymaster working behind the enemy(Nazi) lines for the sake of motherland !
Her devotion to her duties was beyond the call.
January 26th, 2010 at 2:53 pmWhat an excellent article Sir. I could not stop reading and was touched by every word you wrote about her. She was brave like her great grand father. Salute to her !!!
Fawad
January 26th, 2010 at 3:04 pmA wonderful story. A good read.
Thanks.
Khalid
January 26th, 2010 at 6:03 pmGreat story…. very inspiring!
January 26th, 2010 at 8:45 pmThanks Mr. Anwaar Hussain to bring such a wonderful details of our heritage. Princess blood line was noble and by joining Sufism she proved that she was in quest of “what brings lasting peace and happiness to the mankind”. Maybe she concluded that fairness and justice is the key for lasting peace and happiness and for this she tolerated all the brutalities and torture of Nazi’s. After reading this if we are motivated towards enhancing fairness and justice,no matter where in the world we are then probably purpose of his excellent writing would be served
January 26th, 2010 at 10:35 pmThe SD or Einsatzgruppen Officers did not just ask you questions during an interrogation. They were entrusted with the task of liquidating all those who opposed them. Being an attractive female was certainly not asset when confronted by the SD. What they did to prisoners, especially those who did not divulge information was beyond imagination. They killed over a million people during the war. My mother’s family name was Muehler, you are better off not knowing the details .
An inspiring and rare individual.
January 27th, 2010 at 1:27 amAnwaar, this brought tears to my eyes, despite the typo in the title. She was a heroine, but not the drug.
You are a wonderful writer.
January 27th, 2010 at 1:39 amBob
Loved it . BUT please it is heroine.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:02 amHeroin???
Yowch!!!!
Corrected.
Thanks.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:41 amSo the Nizam of Hyderbad helped british defeat Tipu Sultan. Later the Nizam’s descendants financed Pakistan movement and Pakistan.Tipu himself, as also his father Haider Ali, were quite anti-hindu. The moplah muslims of Kerala went on killing sprees against some hapless hindus under the blessings or connivance of Tipu. These moplahs also persecuted the harmless jews in Kerala. The only other persecuters of jews in India were the roman catholic portuguese of Goa. The british returned the kingdom of Mysore to the hindu rajahs from whom Haider Ali (who was a minor commander in their army) had snatched this kingdom. Then of course the hindu rajahs had to live under british high command.
As regards sufis – are they really muslims? Unfortunately they end up spreading islam. It is something like a honey coating on a clump of poison – these sufis.
Noor-un-Nisa is surely to be honoured in spite of all this history. Her biography stands apart.
January 27th, 2010 at 4:10 amNot sure what to say regarding your final thoughts, Anwaar. But what a helluva woman.
Tammy Swofford
January 27th, 2010 at 7:12 amIts a beautiful story. She was very fierce and very brave. And she was young and beautiful. It is a true loss that she died so young. It was very powerful to know about her, and your way of honoring her was so beautiful. Thank you.
Leuren
January 27th, 2010 at 11:13 amThank you for this moving obituary to a truly great soul. What a sense of loss one has by the end of it. So many ruthless wars have taken away so many wonderful human beings from us. When will this self destruction end?
Not till there are gods, religions, countries, kings and rulers to fight for. Never, perhaps.
One wonders.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:29 pmLiberté. So moving. Like great grand father ,Like great grand daughter.
Bravo .. And Thanks
January 28th, 2010 at 1:50 amI am always amazed at those persons who live a life so interesting and full in such a few short years. What a remarkable woman, and a true human being, searching for truth in righteousness. I salute her and others like her, who fearlessly live life to the fullest, and strive to do what is right, may God grant her a special place in His coming kingdom.
January 28th, 2010 at 3:05 amAfter all she was the granddaughter of Tipu Sultan who had said this historic and widely known sentence “Living like a lion for a day is for better then living like a Jackal for a 100 years (Jackal is considered as a coward animal in the subcontinent)”. Meaning: it’s better to die brave then live like a coward.
How could she have contradicted her own grandfather?
Great people always have great legacy.
January 28th, 2010 at 2:03 pmAnwaar Sahib, what a story – how it spanned time, continents and events – it is indeed very fascinating. .. your narration was also beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with all of us.
Amjad
January 29th, 2010 at 8:46 amAmazingly courageous princess, that too coming from subcontinent origin. What an exhibition of bravery and character. I do muse though; Where have these qualities gone from our nation? Did our masters steal them away while leaving this country?
January 31st, 2010 at 9:40 pmThis is a powerful story. As to your question to what do we do with it- I suppose the best thing to do with it is to draw inspiration. Don’t know why it reminds me of the Alchemist (your quest is really in your heart ??!!)
February 6th, 2010 at 9:07 pmCome out with some Pathan grands too.A great woman indeed true to her royal blood.Thanks for digging it out from the rubble of history.
February 10th, 2010 at 7:36 pmWhat a great story, THANK YOU for coming out with a very positive image of this great heroine.
Thanks,
Rehana
March 19th, 2010 at 8:44 amDEAR PRINCESS NOOR ( MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU (AMEEN)
NOOR, YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF COURAGE, HOW BRAVE YOU ARE. IN THE COMING YEARS, THOSE KNOWS YOURS COURAGE, PRAISE YOU, SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY AND COMMITMENT.
YOU HAVE MADE A HISTORY OF COURAGE.
MEHMOOD HUSSAIN,
April 19th, 2010 at 11:59 amKARACHI-PAKISTAN
mehmoodfaiz@yahoo.com
Anwaar;
I hope you are safe,well and happy my old friend. Know that while many here praise Princess Noor and her courage, I am mindful of yours.I was saddened to see that the Fountainhead has bit the dust. After jennifer died I lost interest for things geopolitical. Just no fire in the belly for it anymore…Anyway, thank you for your brilliance,patience,and for helping me realise that the happiness of my life depends upon the quality of my thoughts.
Thank you. CH
April 30th, 2010 at 8:38 amPS…haven’t been online for over a year- feel free to run a spelling/grammar check on my post…just like old times,eh,brother?
Dt1
April 30th, 2010 at 8:48 amRe : Chris,
Ah!!! Welcome back old friend, welcome back.
I just sent you an email on the address that you have given on here but the SMTP server has rejected the address as closed. Please do contact me on eagleeye@emirates.net.ae
Your friend,
Anwaar
April 30th, 2010 at 8:57 amSalaams,thks for sending,
yes,really nice article,the women of the East were miles ahead in political and social consciousness than their counterperparts in the West,
wasn’t it Sultan Tipu who said…”Shear ke eik din ke zindagi geedar ke sau saala zindagi sey behtar hai..”
it runs in the blood,no power on earth can stop unprepared courage and unpretentious heroism like that!!
she should have said Ya Allah when she died Allah receives the soul of the Martyrs when they die or rather, earn life eternal with martyrdom…
May 29th, 2010 at 4:04 am…also moderation is only applicable in everyday matters not life and death situations..may each one of us live a life of devotion and death of devotion to Allah Ameen.
May 29th, 2010 at 4:06 amno urgency in life left…otherwise!!
May 29th, 2010 at 4:08 am