France has issued a poignant postage stamp honoring Noor Inayat Khan, a remarkable woman of Indian descent and a direct descendant of the 18th-century ruler Tipu Sultan. Khan bravely served as an undercover British agent during World War II, working tirelessly with the French Resistance against Nazi Germany. This historic tribute makes her the only woman of Indian origin to be immortalized on a French commemorative stamp, recognizing her immense courage and sacrifice.
The French postal service, La Poste, included Khan in its ‘Figures of the Resistance’ series, a collection celebrating individuals who fought valiantly against Nazi oppression. This release notably coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, amplifying the significance of her commemoration.
Author Shrabani Basu, who wrote ‘Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan,’ expressed her delight, stating, “I am thrilled that France has honoured Noor with a postage stamp, especially on this important 80th anniversary. She sacrificed her life in the fight against fascism. Seeing her face on a stamp, representing her bravery in Paris, is truly moving.”
Khan, born in Moscow in 1914 to an Indian Sufi father and an American mother, spent her formative years in London and Paris. After the fall of France, she joined the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). Recruited by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in 1943, she became the first female radio operator to infiltrate occupied France. Tragically, she was captured by Nazi forces, subjected to torture, and executed at the Dachau concentration camp in September 1944 at the age of 30. Her extraordinary bravery earned her posthumous awards including the French Resistance Medal, the Croix de Guerre, and the British George Cross (GC).