France Honors Noor Inayat Khan: The Indian-Origin British Spy Who Fought in the French Resistance

Each stamp is an etching derived from a photograph (File)

London:

Noor Inayat Khan, descendant of 18th-century Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan, has achieved the distinction of being the only Indian-origin woman commemorated with a postage stamp by France for her crucial role in the French Resistance as an undercover British agent during World War II.

La Poste, the French postal service, has honored Noor with a commemorative stamp as part of their "Figures of the Resistance" series celebrating those who fought against Nazi Germany. She appears among twelve war heroes and heroines featured on these stamps issued this month to commemorate the 80th anniversary of World War II's conclusion.

"I'm thrilled that France has recognized Noor Inayat Khan with a postage stamp, particularly during this significant 80th anniversary of the war's end," remarked Shrabani Basu, the London-based author who penned Noor's biography - 'Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan'. "Noor gave her life fighting fascism. Having grown up in Paris and joined the British war effort, it's wonderful to see her image on a French postage stamp that will be used by everyday citizens," she added.

Each stamp features an etching based on a photograph, with Noor's stamp portraying her in her British Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) uniform. "Britain honored Noor in 2014 marking her birth centenary. Now she has stamps issued by both Britain and France. It's time for India, the land of her ancestors, to commemorate her with a postage stamp as well," Basu suggested.

Born as Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan in Moscow in 1914 to an Indian Sufi saint father and American mother, Noor relocated to London at a young age before moving to Paris for her education. When France fell during World War II, her family escaped to England where Noor enlisted in the WAAF.

On February 8, 1943, she was recruited into the Special Operations Executive (SOE) - a British secret service established to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied territories throughout the war.

Noor made history as the first female radio operator deployed into occupied France in June 1943. She was eventually captured by Nazi forces and transported to Dachau concentration camp, where she endured torture before being executed on September 13, 1944, at just 30 years of age.

For her extraordinary courage, Noor Inayat Khan received the French Resistance Medal and France's highest civilian honor, the Croix de Guerre, along with a posthumous George Cross (GC) from Britain in 1949.

The new collection of French postage stamps aims to celebrate the achievements of individuals like her who were instrumental in the French Resistance during World War II.

"These brave men and women who refused to surrender became involved in intelligence networks, exfiltration, and sabotage... Risking their lives, they preserved the country's honor and helped secure victory," states the description of those commemorated in the series.

Other individuals featured in the stamp collection include Jean-Pierre Levy, founder of "France Liberte" - one of the leading Resistance movements, and British-French SOE agent Violette Szabo, who perished at Ravensbruck concentration camp.