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A spark out of darkness

The extraordinary life and martyrdom of Noor Inayat Khan stands out amidst the horrors of World War II, her biographer Shrabani Basu tells Rakesh Mehar

It's easy to get lost amidst a crowd of over 2.5 million faces, especially if a significant number of them died heroically in the heat of battle. Which explains why the name Noor Inayat Khan fails to ring a bell in either India or England. But, reading a biography of the British agent of Indian origin (born in Moscow on January 1, 1914), Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan by Shrabani Bose, one can sense that she was a heroine far different from the soldiers who mostly people the list of Indian volunteers in World War II.

"She was a woman, a writer and a musician and was raised in the Sufi tradition of non-violence," explains Shrabani as we discuss her latest book at its launch in the Taj West End. "And she went into one of the most dangerous areas of the war — the heart of Paris, which was overflowing with the Gestapo. I've tried to understand what motivated her to go to the frontlines."

Known to the French as Madeleine dans la Resistance, Noor was the first female wireless operator to be smuggled into occupied France at the height of the Third Reich. When, within days of her arrival her circuit of British saboteurs working in France collapsed, she single-handedly helped rebuild the entire network, working as the sole point of contact for the Allied Force. As the last radio operator left alive in occupied France, she performed the tasks of six radio operators, evading the Gestapo that was constantly just one step behind her. When she was finally betrayed and taken prisoner, says Shrabani, she even earned the admiration of many of her German captors, one of who broke down during the post war interrogations when he found out that she had been executed in the Dachau concentration camp.

The dichotomy of her nature extended not only to her Sufi roots, but also to her distinguished lineage. On her father's side, she is a direct descendent of Tipu Sultan. "It does seem like a contradiction that Tipu died fighting against the British while Noor died for them," says Shrabani. "But both fought and died for what they believed in." This fact receives mention time and again in Spy Princess..., as does Noor's strong feelings towards the Indian Independence Movement.

In this regard, her approach differs from that of many other Indians such as those that supported the Indian National Army. At one point in the book, she is quoted as saying: "I wish some Indians would win high military distinctions in this war... It would help make a bridge between English people and Indians." She even expressed this view to the board that was to award her a commission in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, although she was well aware that this perspective was unpopular in England.

Although Shrabani aims to maintain a detached, observational tone in Spy Princess... her admiration for the incredible spy is clearly evident. "I have mentioned many of her faults, such as how she was clumsy and unable to handle weaponry," points out Shrabani, "but I obviously admire her guts and strength of character. She's my heroine, and has been hugely inspirational." For the author, that admiration has extended beyond merely writing this biography. She has since been lobbying the English Heritage, a government body that manages the historic environment of England, to give more recognition to Noor. In France, for instance, a memorial plaque has been erected outside the house where she stayed, and a brass band plays outside it each Bastille Day. Moreover, a square in Paris has also been named Cours Madeleine after her.

In contrast, says Shrabani, at the Imperial War Museum in England, photographs of only two of the three female British agents awarded the George Cross have been displayed. The release of the book, she adds, has now sparked off a petition for the erection of a memorial Blue Plaque outside Noor's English home. Shrabani's greatest hope is that both the English and Indian governments will eventually be convinced to release stamps in Noor's honour.

Spy Princess... is the fourth work of literature based on Noor Inayat Khan. Previous books include a biography written by Jean Overton Fuller, a close friend of Noor's, and two works of fiction based on her life. However, says Shrabani, Spy Princess... is the most comprehensive account of her life, thanks largely to the declassification of secret war archives in 2003. "The records were a mine of information. There were records of every message she sent from France, her superiors' reports about her, details of the German efforts to capture her and so on. There was a complete account of the cat-and-mouse game that played out."

Spy Princess... is Shrabani's own second publication, following the release of Curry in the Crown in 1999, which traces the story of England's "national dish" from its earliest roots in the 1600s. "I like to divide my time between the sub-continent and England, where I live," says Shrabani. "I am always interested in things that bring India and Britain together."

Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan written by Shrabani Basu has been published by Roli Books and is priced at Rs. 395.

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