07-05-2025
Two officers who led media briefing on Operation Sindoor
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The presence of two women officers -- Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh -- leading the official briefing on the Indian military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan is being seen as highly symbolic, representing strength and sacrifice, besides honouring the women widowed in the Pahalgam attack The name of the operation 'Sindoor' -- a reference to the vermillion worn by married Hindu women -- was also aimed to convey India's strong resolve to respond to the terrorists and emphasised the human cost of Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army , who provided details on the military aspects of the operation, including the targets and precision strikes, also presented videos showing the destruction. The officer hails from Vadodara and completed her Masters in Biochemistry from MS University in 1997. Despite having an academic background in science, she chose to join the Indian Army and became part of the Corps of Signals. She comes from a military background. Her grandfather served in the Indian Army as a religious teacher and her husband is an officer in the Indian Army's Mechanised Infantry. In 2016, Colonel Sophia became the first woman officer to lead the Indian contingent in the multinational military exercise 'Force 18' held among Asean-Plus countries. She was the only woman commander among the participants from 18 nations. She has played a crucial role in international peacekeeping missions and during her six years of service under the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, she was deployed in Congo in 2006. She made significant contributions to peace-building and humanitarian Commander Vyomika Singh is a helicopter pilot and a first-generation military officer. She joined as a military pilot in 2019 and has flying experience with a variety of choppers like Cheetah and Chetak. She has served in challenging conditions in Jammu and Kashmir and the North East and is credited with carrying out precise, high-risk evacuation missions. She is also a keen mountaineer.
