Who is Colonel Sofiya Qureshi? Indian Army officer who briefed the world on 'Operation Sindoor' against Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary Vikram Misri along with Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force on Wednesday briefed the media about the Operation Sindoor.Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, an officer from the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals, has earned the distinction of being the first woman to lead an Indian Army training contingent at Force 18, a multinational field exercise involving ASEAN Plus countries.She was also the only female commander among all participating nations, underscoring India’s commitment to increase women’s participation in military roles. She is married to an officer from the Mechanised Infantry, which has further rooted her life in military values and disciplined living.Qureshi has significant experience in peacekeeping operations and was part of the Indian mission in Congo in 2006.She has been actively involved in United Nations peacekeeping efforts where her role focused on training related to peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action.Qureshi comes from a military family, with her grandfather having served in the Indian Army.She represents the third generation of her family to serve in the armed forces. Her brother, Sanjay Qureshi, shared, “My grandfather and my father were both in the army. My father was with the EME Corps in Vadodara and even served during the 1971 war. My father's maternal grandfather also served in the British Army and later participated in the 1857 freedom struggle.” Her family resides in the Tandalja locality of Vadodara and she has three brothers and a sister. Qureshi completed her schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, EME, and went on to earn a BSc in Chemistry (1992–1995) and an MSc in Biochemistry (1995–1997) from the Faculty of Science at M S University. “She was even pursuing her PhD, but learning about the recruitment of women officers in the Indian Army, she quit the PhD programme and joined the forces,” said Sanjay.For young Indian women seeking meaningful and challenging careers, she had a clear message: “If possible, join the Indian Army.”Southern Army Commander Lt Gen Bipin Rawat in 2016 commended her leadership, noting that the Army believes in equal opportunity and responsibility for all personnel, regardless of gender.Here's what she said during briefing"Nine terrorist camps were destroyed. The targets were selected based on credible intelligence and their direct involvement in cross-border terrorism. No military installation in Pakistan was targeted during Operation Sindoor."Highlights from her career'Operation Sindoor'Under 'Operation Sindoor', the armed forces on Wednesday targeted and destroyed nine terror hideouts belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.This marked India's most decisive strike in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Air Force conducted precision strikes on four terror sites inside Pakistan and five within PoK. The ministry described the operation as “focused, measured and non-escalatory,” adding that no Pakistani military installations were targeted. “These actions are in direct response to the horrific Pahalgam attack,” the Defence Ministry said in its statement, adding, “We are upholding our commitment to ensure that those responsible for the attack face consequences.” The Indian government later released an official video declaring the mission a success, while Pakistani authorities were reportedly caught off guard.Operation Sindoor Live Updates: Several airports in north India including Srinagar closed'Our daughter has done a great thing for the country'Speaking to news agency ANI, Colonel Qureshi's father Taj Mohammed Qureshi said she has done a "great thing" for the country."We are very proud. Our daughter has done a great thing for our country. Pakistan should be destroyed. My grandfather, my father, and I were all in the army. Now she is, too," he told news agency ANI.