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In pre-partition India during the Second World War, approximately 10,000 women supported the Allied war effort, yet their stories remained largely unheard until now. Through this project young people from communities across Birmingham came together to uncover this hidden heritage.
While exploring the archives, participants have discovered photographs, letters, and documents recording the lives of remarkable individuals including:
- Princess Indira Devi of Kapurthala, who drove ambulances and broadcast news in Hindi to Indian soldiers
- Noor Inayat Khan, a children's author turned secret agent who became the first female wireless operator sent to Nazi-occupied France
- Princess Catherine Duleep Singh, who rescued Jewish refugees during the war
But they are only part of the story. An estimated 60,000 women worked in India's coal mines during the war, carrying heavy loads in dangerous conditions for far less pay than men. These unsung heroines, many from low-caste and poor backgrounds, played a crucial role in maintaining the war effort.
The project isn't just about looking back – it’s also building skills for the future. The young participants have learned to make films, conduct interviews and present research.
Heritage assistant, Taiba Aqueel, said: “My idea of history had always been white male-led. Then Kiran [Sahota, founder of Believe In Me] came along and got me involved in the projects. That inspired me to switch to studying history and politics, and ultimately becoming what I’d never thought I could: a female South Asian historian.”
See more projects preserving generations of stories and memories.
