Indian Women in Intelligence

In the quiet realm of national security, intelligence gathering serves as a country's eyes and ears. In broad terms, intelligence collecting is the collection, analysis, production, and use of information on potentially hostile states, groups, individuals, or activities in order to promote national security.[i] Data sources have changed over time, with a previous emphasis primarily on human intelligence and a recent shift towards technology-based intelligence gathering. Officials argue that human intelligence is more alive than ever, nevertheless. An insider or access agent, for instance, is one of the HUMINT techniques that hostile actors are known to use to grant special access that cannot be obtained through computer network exploitation techniques.[ii] Despite the great significance and longevity of this field, women's contributions have frequently been underrepresented and underappreciated. This field in general has been male-dominated, with women often relegated to the sidelines. For example, the bulk of research on the relationship between gender and terrorism has concentrated on women who are either terrorists' leaders or victims.[iii] In addition to promoting gender equality, women's involvement in intelligence operations increases the variety and effectiveness of intelligence operations. This article explores the lesser-known tales of remarkable women who have influenced national security, looks at how they have evolved within the intelligence community and looks at the unique attributes they provided.

Evolution of Women’s role:

Women have performed significant duties in intelligence that have not been acknowledged. They had to overcome substantial obstacles such as a lack of education, training, and, most crucially, the patriarchal society. Historically, women were valued solely for housework and staying at home. Women, on the other hand, used their roles as cooks or housewives to pass on notes or go underground to listen in on key conversations. They also had contributed to intelligence through sexualized positions prior to the establishment of the professional intelligence community, a practice known as the honey-trap connection. As a result, even today, contemporary literature about female spies frequently reverts to the honeytrap connection.[iv]

During the American Revolution, these colonial housewives did not arouse suspicion among the male leaders, and they would even hang their laundry outdoors on a clothesline to communicate covert messages and signals to other agents. Later women began to receive a wider range of positions, such as scouts, encryption specialists, agents and some even operatives. Their ability to multitask was useful in these instances. They achieved their goals as women were still considered harmless and posed little threat to men as they still completed their tasks while doing their chores.[v]

The participation of women increased during the outbreak of World War I and subsequent wars. In the United States, President Woodrow Wilson explicitly acknowledged women's contribution, signalling the beginning of a new era.[vi] The military hired women as interpreters, phone operators, drivers, and cryptologists.[vii] During this time, women like Mata Hari and Edith Cavell rose to prominence for their espionage efforts. However, it was in World War II that women's contributions to intelligence were significant. Women began to be recruited when intelligence organisations established and formalised their activities. The British Special Operations Executive (50 E), the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS), and the French Bureau Central de Reseignements et d'Action (BCRA) oversaw the allied countries' actions. Women worked for all three organisations at home and abroad, including in Europe, Africa, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, and Scandinavia, as well as the Middle East and Asia.[viii] Even though many remained cryptologists, women took on more perilous duties, such as undercover field agents in clandestine operations.[ix] Notable people include Virginia Hall, who worked in Nazi-occupied France despite having a prosthetic limb, and Noor Inayat Khan, an Indian Princess and SOE radio operator who eventually was captured and executed by the Germans. Virginia Hall was one of the only American civilian women during WWII to receive the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism.[x] During the war, gender prejudices were put aside due to the need as most men were on the frontline, therefore when the war ended gender norms crept back to suppress women.[xi]

Intelligence became more necessary throughout the Cold War as technology and weaponry advanced. As a result, women continued to serve in administrative roles such as typists, translators, technical support, and even operatives. The CIA, established after WWII, boosted the number of female recruits; yet, their ability to advance into senior positions was limited.[xii] The Cold War era saw figures like Elizabeth Bentley and the Cambridge Five spy ring in the UK, which included members like Kim Philby who were implicated by women.

In contemporary times, women have ascended to leadership roles in major intelligence agencies. However, this does not indicate that perceived gender norms or equality are observed. Women continue to confront structural challenges as well as prejudiced notions. Gina Haspel became the first woman to be sworn in as CIA Director. She discussed how, in roles both large and small, they challenged stereotypes, broke down barriers, and opened doors for the rest of us.[xiii]

Women of India:

Before British India, documented evidence of women formally engaged in intelligence gathering is scarce due to the fact that societal constraints heavily restricted women's mobility and access to education, hindering their participation in such roles. India’s independence struggle was a turning point similar to many countries where conflict led to an increase in women’s participation. Some case studies are as follows:

Saraswathi Rajamani

Saraswathi Rajamani was one of the INA's youngest and most courageous spies during India's independence struggle. Saraswathi Rajamani, who grew up in a nationalist home, was drawn to India's liberation movement. Rajamani joined the INA's Rani of the Jhansi regiment in 1942 and served in the army's military intelligence department. She is credited with becoming the first Indian female spy. Some of her valorous actions included working as a spy disguised as a worker at the British Military base in Kolkata to obtain British secrets and share them with the INA, playing a key role in uncovering British plans to assassinate Bose during his secret visit to Indian borders in 1943, rescuing a fellow spy, breaking into a British camp as a dancer, and escaping even after being shot.[xiv]

Durgawati Devi

She is also known as 'The Agni of India'. She married at an early age and was an active member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha. She helped Bhagat Singh flee Lahore following the murder of Saunders in 1928. Herself and Bhagat Singh duped as a couple and fled to Calcutta with Rajguru as their servant, where she learned to make bombs. Durgawati Devi attempted to murder Lord Hailey, the ex-Governor of Punjab and a fervent opponent of the revolutionaries, in reprisal for Bhagat Singh's execution. Even though she was imprisoned and sentenced to three years in jail, her ability to fit in with varied situations, as well as her strategic thinking, made her an important asset to the revolutionaries.[xv]

Sehmat Khan

Sehmat Khan, a normal Kashmiri girl with amazing resilience, gave up her dreams and youth to serve her country. She was the daughter of a Kashmiri Muslim businessman who married a Pakistani army officer in order to provide classified information to India during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. She was only trained as a facilitator, yet she went above and beyond her responsibilities. Working as an Indian undercover spy in Pakistan, one of the most important pieces of intelligence she supplied was Pakistan's intention to destroy the INS Viraat (since decommissioned). Only because of her was India able to rescue her biggest pride at sea.[xvi] She even had to kill her in-laws and many others in the pursuit of the mission.[xvii] Her true name remains anonymous to protect her and her family however, her dedication and patriotism remain a powerful testament to the crucial role women have played in intelligence.

Noor Inayat Khan

Inayat Khan was an Indian princess and the great-granddaughter of Tipu Sultan, the 18th-century Indian Muslim ruler of Mysore. She worked for the Special Operations Executive in London. Since her college years, she had sworn to defeat the Nazis.[xviii] During WWII, she was deployed to France as a British spy, becoming the first female wireless operator to enter Nazi-occupied territory. She used the secret name 'Madeleine' and was captured by the German Gestapo in October 1943 after being discovered to be a spy. Despite being subjected to continuous torture and beatings, she never disclosed any information to the Germans, who eventually executed her in 1944.[xix] She was posthumously awarded the British Mention in Dispatches and a French Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) with a Gold Star.[xx]

Way forward:

Even though women's roles have changed tremendously, they still confront obstacles such as work-life balance and unconscious prejudice. The hard nature of intelligence work frequently necessitates irregular hours and frequent travel, disrupting the balance between professional commitments and personal life, compounded by the stereotypical notion of women managing the household.[xxi] Unconscious bias can also impede women's job advancement, as preconceptions and preconceived beliefs about gender roles persist in the workplace. Efforts are being made to address these concerns and provide a more comfortable environment for women in intelligence. For instance, Gujarat had announced that 5 women intelligence officers are receiving training in surveillance, information gathering and undercover operations along with 33 male colleagues as part of the first batch of direct recruits to the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) which is a first for the state.[xxii] As the nation grapples with complex security challenges, the need for diverse perspectives is more critical than ever. Therefore, with concerted efforts to dismantle barriers and leverage their unique strengths, women are poised to make even more substantial contributions.

Footnotes:

[i] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17419166.2021.1920929

[ii] https://www.fcdoservices.gov.uk/has-modern-technology-killed-humint/

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theses

[v] https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1479&context=jss

[vi] https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theses

[vii]https://www.afio.com/publications/monographs/McIntosh%20Elizabeth%20Role%20of%20Women%20in%20Intelligence%20AFIO%20Monograph%205.pdf

[viii] https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1479&context=jss

[ix] https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theses

[x] https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1479&context=jss

[xi] https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theses

[xii] https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theses

[xiii] https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/gina-haspel-sworn-in-as-first-female-cia-director/

[xiv] https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/unsung-heroes-detail.htm?14280

[xv] https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/unsung-heroes-detail.htm?96

[xvi] https://starsunfolded.com/sehmat-khan-biography/

[xvii] https://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/apr/29/slide-show-1-long-legacy-on-ladies-in-espionage.htm

[xviii] https://www.thegeostrata.com/post/unsung-heroines-the-untold-stories-of-women-spies

[xix] https://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/apr/29/slide-show-1-long-legacy-on-ladies-in-espionage.htm

[xx] https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theses

[xxi] https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theses

[xxii] https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/gujarat-set-to-get-its-first-women-intelligence-officers/

Pic Courtesy- Photo by ChatGPT

(The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views of CESCUBE.)