Born: 1914 (Moscow)
Died: 1944 (Dachau concentration camp)
Biography:
Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan, GC (1 January 1914 – 13 September 1944), also known as Nora Inayat-Khan and Nora Baker, was a British resistance agent in France in World War II who served in the Special Operations Executive (SOE). The purpose of SOE was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in countries occupied by the Axis powers, especially those occupied by Nazi Germany. As an SOE agent under the codename Madeleine, she became the first female wireless operator to be sent from the UK into occupied France to aid the French Resistance during World War II. Inayat Khan was betrayed and captured, and executed at Dachau concentration camp. She was posthumously awarded the George Cross for her service, the highest civilian decoration for gallantry in the United Kingdom.
Noor Inayat Khan was born on 1 January 1914, in Moscow. She was the eldest of four children. Her siblings were Vilayat Inayat Khan, an author and Sufi teacher; Hidayat Inayat Khan, a composer and Sufi teacher; and Khair-un-Nisa Inayat Khan. Her father, Inayat Khan, was born in Baroda, Bombay Presidency, and came from a family of Indian Muslims with hereditary nobles and classical musicians among both sides of his ancestors. His great-great-grandfather was the ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan. He lived in Europe as a musician and a teacher of Sufism. Her mother, Pirani Ameena Begum (born Ora Ray Baker), was an American from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who met Inayat Khan during his travels in the United States. Afterwards, Vilayat became head of the Sufi Order of the West, later renamed the Sufi Order International, and now the Inayati Order.
In 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, the family left Russia for London and lived in Bloomsbury. Noor attended nursery in Notting Hill. In 1920, the family moved to France, settling in Suresnes near Paris, in a house that was a gift from a benefactor of the Sufi movement. As a young girl, Noor was described as quiet, shy, sensitive, and dreamy. After the death of her father in 1927, 13-year-old Noor took on the responsibility of her grief-stricken mother and her younger siblings. She went on to study child psychology at the Sorbonne, as well as music at the Paris Conservatory under Nadia Boulanger, composing for both harp and piano.
As a young woman, Noor began a career as a writer, publishing her poetry and children’s stories in English and French and becoming a regular contributor to children’s magazines and French radio. In 1939, her book Twenty Jataka Tales, inspired by the Jataka tales of Buddhist tradition, was published in London by George G. Harrap and Co.
After the outbreak of the Second World War, Noor and her family fled France and returned to England. Wanting to contribute to the war effort, Noor applied to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) but was initially rejected. Undeterred, she joined the Women’s Voluntary Service and trained as a nurse. In 1942, she joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE) as a wireless operator.
Noor was selected for a dangerous mission in occupied France, codenamed Prosper, where she would work as a wireless operator for the French Resistance. She was trained in espionage techniques, Morse code, and secret communications. In June 1943, Noor was flown to France and took on the codename Madeleine.
For over three months, Noor bravely evaded capture, constantly moving locations to avoid detection. She transmitted crucial information to London while coordinating resistance activities and assisting in organizing sabotage operations. During this time, Noor’s wireless transmission skills and her determination to support the resistance made a significant impact.
Unfortunately, in October 1943, Noor was betrayed by a Frenchwoman working for the Gestapo and captured. She endured months of interrogation and torture but refused to reveal any information about her fellow operatives or the resistance. Despite her resilience, the Gestapo discovered her true identity as a British agent.
On 13 September 1944, Noor and three other female agents were executed at Dachau concentration camp. She displayed immense courage and integrity until the very end. Noor’s sacrifice and bravery inspired those who knew her and even her captors recognized her extraordinary bravery.
In recognition of her exceptional service and sacrifice, Noor Inayat Khan was posthumously awarded the George Cross, the highest civilian decoration for gallantry in the United Kingdom. She remains a symbol of bravery, resilience, and dedication to the fight against oppression and injustice.
Awards:
– George Cross (posthumous)
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