The Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust has been established to promote the message of peace, non-violence and religious and racial harmony, the principles Noor Inayat Khan stood for.

It will work to raise funds for a Memorial for Noor Inayat Khan, GC, Croix de Guerre, in London’s Gordon Square to ensure that Noor’s sacrifice is not forgotten by future generations.

The Trust will also work with schools, universities and museums to spread the story of the World War II heroine. Through Noor’s story, it will also highlight the often-ignored fact of the contribution of Indian soldiers and Indian women to the two World Wars.

Two and a half million Indian soldiers volunteered for the Second World War, fighting in far-away fields in Africa, Europe and the Far East. It was the largest volunteer army in history and suffered the highest casualties. Indian soldiers were awarded 28 Victoria Crosses and 9 George Crosses in World War II.

Noor Inayat Khan was posthumously awarded the George Cross by England and the Croix de Guerre by France.

SOAS University of London is the only Higher Education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East.

SOAS is a remarkable institution. Uniquely combining language scholarship, disciplinary expertise and regional focus, it has the largest concentration in Europe of academic staff concerned with Africa, Asia and the Middle East.