The Nether World of Women Spies

By Colonel Satish Singh Lalotra

The world of code names, secrets and ‘Intrigue’ has always been part of human psyche that has been invariably linked with the element of ‘curiosity’. Curiosity prepares the brain for learning. While it might be no big surprise that we are more prone to remember what we have learned when the subject matter intrigues us, it turns out that curiosity also helps us learn information we don’t consider all that interesting or important. In the world of ours constantly jockeying for power, is it any wonder that rival nations employ all instruments of state machinery at their disposal to glean any information be it during times of peace or while engaged during war time to upend the situation to their advantage. Who else than the spies of the nation state who risk everything under their skin to bring that last mile of information which could turn the tables in a tense standoff?Not all human beings have their DNA mapped up to the exacting standards as required for becoming an ace spy. Incidentally spies used to belong that unique category of people even during ancient days who had a direct line of access to the kings/ Maharajas. Serving many times as the only cog of state machinery left to fit in the vast administrative expanse that had within themselves to set in motion any big campaign solely on the basis of their Invaluable information, ‘Humint’ ( Human intelligence) has been the mainstay of spies for times immemorial. Oodles of patience, calm cum steely nerves, an ability to turn incognito with relative ease, excellent communication skills and to top it all an extraordinary presence of mind cum sangfroid persona are the hallmarks of a spy. Though both males and females of human variety are adept in the above mentioned qualities, it is the female variety of humans who have always taken the cake and eaten it too in this dangerous power play of netherworld of spies. Women by nature endowed with the above mentioned qualities never had much to rigour themselves to achieve the exacting standards of a perfect spy. They merely had to be more of their natural self to crack the benchmark of an excellent spy. But the biggest of all attributes that go into making an ace spy be it a male or female , is the morbid tendency of ‘Tempting fate’ far too many times in an enemy camp or country knowing very well the fate in store for them.
In the Indian context , the rulers of the state themselves many a time used to wear the mantle of a top spy by going incognito , shedding their royal attire, mixing with their subjects to glean innermost secrets of the masses that could help them take an informed / considered decision for the welfare of their states. In the recent history of the sub-continent the name of Bibi Harsharan Kaur stands out as an epitome of woman’s intrigue, courage & steely nerves as a spy cum courier whenin the famous ‘Battle of Jamrud’ in April 1837 she wore the mantle of taking the letter from the Sikhfort commander at Jamrud that was under siege by Afghan forces of Emir of Afghanistan to General Harisingh Nalwa asking for reinforcements. One of the oldest Indian women spies to hit headlines was ‘Saraswati Rajamani’ part of INA (Indian national army) who helped uncover a sinister British plan to assassinate Netaji Subash Chander Bose. Considered as the ‘first woman spy’ of India she has had many feathers in her spying hat to include rescuing fellow colleague disguised as a dancer right under the nose of the British forces. Neera Arya was another woman spy to grace the INA ranks during the hey days of Indian freedom movement. In addition to the above there have been some quite unassuming female spies of India viz Madhumita Mitali, Anita Dixit, Kamla Bhagwat, Gita Mehta etc who have etched their names in the annals of Indian espionage by their seminal contributions in the war effort ranging from the Kargil war to OP Cactus lily to the war of 1965.
But all these women spies had one common thread running amongst them; of fighting for the cause of nation during war time , unlike the latest woman spy going by the name of ‘Joyti Malhotra’ whose name was sprung up courtesy the still ongoing ‘OP Sindoor’ ( though paused as per government assertions) . Working for Pakistan and on active rolls of the infamous ISI , this Indian journalist cum You tuber from Haryana had visited Pakistan and China both recently and had a massive following in both of these countries. With a lavish spending to her being , she came on to the Indian security radars in the aftermath of the launch of OP Sindoor. Having an active connection with four (4) of Pakistani intelligence agents despite knowing their credentials, Joyti Malhotra seems to be either too naïve a spy or too smart for Indian intelligence establishment for not covering her trails which is usually the wont of an accomplished spy. Even Punjab police had nabbed a 31 year old Guzala and Yameen Mohammed from Malerkotla a few days back in the wake of ‘OP Sindoor’ for leaking classified military information to their Pak based handlers with the former admitting receiving Rs 30,000/ via the UPI app with Pak high commission acting as a conduit . What a paltry sum to barter away national security and sovereignty which to most of the Indians is non-negotiable. I leave their expose to be done by the country as more and more of their deeds come to the fore.
The requirement of spies had always been the topmost requirement of nation states from the times of yore, since the tenet of espionage ranked the supreme amongst all other tenets of ‘statecraft’. This was one of those tents of statecraft which had the innate capability to turn all other tenets on their heads by virtue of revealing something new about the enemy, casting an altogether different hue about the practicability or otherwise of an ongoing engagement of a country either on diplomatic or military front. It is in this context that the revelations by Joyti Malhotra, Guzala and Yameen Mohammed assumes importance, with the still ongoing ‘OP Sindoor’ ruling the mental firmament of policy planners of India. In espionage parlance -‘No news of enemy howsoever is insignificant’is the guiding mantra of espionage seekers and saboteurs. Meaning the smallest of news of enemy camp may prove to be one of the biggest dots for connecting and making a larger picture come to life. It is no wonder that both the great wars of the world,(First WW & Second WW ) had some of the finest and bravest of women spies working for allied and axis powers that had some very crucial information passed on to their respective governments having a seminal effect on the war effort as such. Some of the biggest names in espionage and spying world like ‘Mata Hari’ aka Margareta Geertuida Macleod’ , a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan working for Germany in First WW was executed by the French army firing squad making her name synonymous with ‘femme fatale’. Similarly the world famous (SOE) ‘Special operations executive’ a British secret organization formed in 1940 on express orders of Sir Winston Churchill the war time PM of England to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in German occupied Europe as also to aid local resistance movements during 2 WW had some of the best names of women spies that were Para dropped deep into Europe during night time by RAF Lysander & other reconnaissance aircrafts. One of the most celebrated ‘SOE’- women spies had an Indian connection too.

‘Noor Inayat Khan’ aka ‘Nora Baker’ a SOE -Woman spy was a British resistance agent in France in the 2 WW who had her ancestry traced backed to ‘Tipu Sultan’ the iconic Deccan ruler,her great -great-grandfather. Fired by a patriotic zeal to do something for her country of birth i.e France she volunteered to act as SOE -Woman spy cum radio operator when France fell to Germany in 1940 and was one of thelast few radio operators who till the time her identity was compromised to the GESTAPO of Germany reported German army movements to England. Despite England ready to evacuate her by air across the English channel on her identity getting compromised, she refused to leave her duty station in France thus setting the highest standards in the spying world till date. Arrested by the Gestapo of Germany she was tortured by the infamous organization, and eventually transferred to the notorious concentration camp of ‘Dachau’ where she was shot point blank at the back of her head. Awarded with best of gallantry awards from both England &France during the 2WW, till date no other woman spy has come near her fame even by a whisker in matching her deeds.The elite organization of SFF (Special frontier force), a Tibetan soldiered guerrilla organisation too has a women espionage cum spy unit on its rolls in the form of ’34 volunteers company’, whose role is primarily to be Para dropped behind enemy areas and do espionage acts. Tailored around the world famous SOE organization as mentioned above of England, this Tibetan women Spy Company is also a force to reckon with having all the essentials of a spy network. Having served in the SFF I had the unique opportunity to have a close look at their mental makeup as also their dare devilry during para jumps which makes them all a cut above the rest. These Tibetan female volunteers are not only ace Para jumpers but also accomplished rock climbers and mountaineers of repute. Espionage and spying will remain for as long as countries have kept secrets from one another and tried to steal them from each other thereby standing out as one of the foremost instruments of state policy. It is for the nation states to employ them in the best way possible albeit with an express guarantee undertaking that in the event of their identity being compromised, their near and dear ones will be looked after and not jettisoned in the way of expediencies of situations as seen from jaundiced eyes. As long as nation states remain in a constant embrace of ‘Geo-strategic gridlock’ to get ahead of each other, there will always be a possibility of settling scores via ‘power mongering’ that will call for seeking the services of spies and espionage dealers. The era of spies will never be rendered obsolete, but will reinvent itself in myriad other ways to make itself relevant today and even years ahead. Just as an indicator of the mental make-up of the SOE agents during the 2 WW-‘ May be you find out I could be useful getting people out of concentration camps and prisons in Germany-just before they got shot. I should love to do it and I like to jump out of a plane even every day’-A woman SOE (special operations executive) Agent..
(The writer is an army veteran. )