India has responded to the heinous act of the Pahalgam attack through Operation Sindoor. To give a reply to the inhuman act of the Pakistani terrorists killing 26 innocent people, India has struck nine Pakistani terror sites. After the same, a press conference was held on the morning of May 7, 2025. As Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri took the central place of the conference, two women officers grabbed the attention with all due respect, as it happened for the first time that women officers came forward to brief the national media about such a major military operation.
Two women officers, Sofiya Qureshi, and Vyomika Singh briefed the media about ‘Operation Sindoor’, creating history
It was the first time that two women officers had given the brief about India’s retaliation, and the reason remains quite obvious. From the name of the strike ‘Sindoor‘, to the female officers leading the brief, it has its own power in itself. No sooner did the visuals from the press conference make rounds on social media, than netizens started hailing the government’s decision to let the women officers lead the brief, by which the nari shakti has again been proclaimed.
Some stated that during the Pahalgam attack, the women were not attacked, as the terrorists thought them to be weak, thus, the decision to let the women officers lead the conference itself carries the reply, showcasing women empowerment in our country. Well, Sofiya Qureshi and Vyomika Singh carved a special space in the hearts of Indians. Today, we’ll have a look at their inspiring journey and their contribution to our country.
Meet Colonel Sofiya Qureshi: The first woman to lead the Indian Army in a multinational military exercise
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi hails from Vadodara, Gujarat, and she holds a post-graduation degree in Biochemistry. Sofiya was commissioned into the Indian Army back in 1999, and she also served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006. Sofiya comes from a strong military background as her grandfather also served in the Indian Army. In her personal life, Sofiya is married to a Mechanised Infantry officer. Sofiya Qureshi is a trailblazer in the Indian Army as she is the first woman to lead the Indian Army of the 40-member contingent in a multinational exercise. Based on the themes of ‘Humanitarian Mine Action’ and ‘Peacekeeping Operations’, the multinational exercise FTX, Exercise FORCE 18, involved ASEAN Plus countries, and back in those times, it was one of the largest ground forces exercises that India conducted.
Sofiya was 35 years old back then. She has also been associated with the peacekeeping operations for six years. It was in 2020, when Sofiya’s name was recognised with 10 other women officers by the Supreme Court in its judgment on gender parity in the Army’s top positions. As Sofiya co-led the high-profile media brief for ‘Operation Sindoor’, it showcased her significant role in the Indian Army.
Meet Vyomika Singh: A Wing Commander who began her journey as IAF’s helicopter pilot, and wanted to serve the nation since childhood
Another woman officer, who led the media brief after ‘Operation Sindoor’, was Vyomika Singh. She began her journey as a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force. Since she was a child, she wanted to fly high and become a pilot, and her name as well was inspired by her dreams, as it means ‘one who resides in the sky’. She began her journey by joining NCC in her school days, and then she bagged an engineering degree later. Vyomika entered the IAF as a helicopter pilot through the 21st Short Service Commission Women Flying Pilot Course.
Vyomika was promoted to Wing Commander in 2017 and got a permanent position on the flying bench in 2019. Throughout her career, she has logged over 2,500 flying hours along with leading some of the most critical missions including rescue operations in Arunachal Pradesh and operating helicopters like the Chetak and Cheetah in challenging terrains. In a recent press conference, Vyomika represented IAF along with Army and Navy counterparts and talked about their objectives in ‘Operation Sindoor’.
What do you think about these two strong, independent women, Sofiya Qureshi and Vyomika Singh’s journey?
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