Operation Sindoor: Internet hails Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, IAF Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who led media briefing
Amid the high-voltage tension between India and Pakistan, the Internet is abuzz with plaudits for Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, the officers who led the media briefing in New Delhi, hours after India conducted a series of strikes – dubbed Operation Sindoor – on terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The strikes were launched in response to the harrowing terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, that killed at least 26 tourists.
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Several social media users hailed Colonel Qureshi and IAF Wing Commander Singh for a powerful media briefing, sending a strong message to the world. '2 women officers of 2 different religions coming together to address the nation after India demolished Pakistan by #OperationSindoor. What brilliant messaging by the Indian Armed Forces, picture perfect. This is the unity that the terrorists wanted to break after Pahalgam, they just ended up uniting us even more,' a user wrote.
See here:
2 women officers of 2 different religions coming together to address the nation after India demolished Pakistan by #OperationSindoor 🔥
What brilliant messaging by the Indian Armed Forces, picture perfect. 👏🏻
This is the unity that the terrorists wanted to break after Pahalgam,… pic.twitter.com/v7ZWUNt55F
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) May 7, 2025
'Operation Sindoor briefing done by two women officers from two different religions- Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wg Cdr Vyomika Singh. Excellent messaging,' another X user posted.
Operation Sindoor briefing done by two women officers from two different religions- Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wg Cdr Vyomika Singh. Excellent messaging.
pic.twitter.com/chEXi5l5Mo
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) May 7, 2025
'Naari Shakti (Women empowerment),' a third user said.
Naari Shakti 🔥 pic.twitter.com/K5dYdFc4Ke
— Aaraynsh (@aaraynsh) May 7, 2025
Who is Colonel Sophia Qureshi?
Colonel Sophia Qureshi has a strong military background. Her grandfather, too, served in the Indian Army. She is married to an officer with the mechanised infantry. Born in Gujarat, she pursued a postgraduate degree in biochemistry. In 1999, she was deployed as a lieutenant for the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
In 2016, she created history as the first woman to command an Indian Army contingent in a multinational military exercise. In 2006, she served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo. 'On these missions, we monitor the ceasefires in those countries and also aid in the humanitarian activities. The job is to ensure peace in the conflict-affected areas,' she told indianexpress.com.
Who is Wing Commander Vyomika Singh?
According to The Economic Times, Wing Commander Singh pursued engineering and joined the National Cadet Corps (NCC). She has operated helicopters Chetak and Cheetah in some of the toughest terrains. In 2019, she was deployed as a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force and received a permanent commission in the flying branch. In 2020, she led one of the major missions in Arunachal Pradesh, which was conducted in difficult weather and at high altitude.
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