Latest news with #IWD2020
News18
15-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Who Is Col Sophia Qureshi? A Look At Trailblazing Army Officer's Career As MP Minister Sparks Row
Last Updated: Colonel Sophia Qureshi is known for being the first woman to lead an Indian contingent at a multinational military exercise. She has also served in UN peacekeeping missions. The Supreme Court on Thursday rapped up Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Vijay Shah for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Colonel Sophia Qureshi. In a post on X, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said instructions were given to take action against Shah following the orders of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. A First Information Report (FIR) had already been registered against the minister in this regard. WHO IS COLONEL SOPHIA QURESHI? Hailing from Gujarat, Colonel Sophia Qureshi is one of the two women officers who briefed the media on 'Operation Sindoor' on May 8. She holds a degree in biochemistry from the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, from where she graduated in 1997. Coming from a military family, her grandfather served in the Indian Army. She is married to an officer in the Mechanised Infantry. During the media briefing, Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) flanked Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on the dais, who delivered the opening statement from the government. The briefing came hours after the Indian armed forces, under 'Operation Sindoor', carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. In March 2020, the Ministry of Defence called her the 'leading lady" as she trained the Army contingent. #ASEAN Plus multin'l field trg ex in 2016. She was only Woman Officers Contingent Commander among all #ASEAN Plus contingents. #WomensDay #IWD2020 #EachforEqual #SheInspiresUs — Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) March 8, 2020 She has served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006, where she, along with others, was in charge of monitoring ceasefires in those countries and aiding in humanitarian activities. Her job included ensuring peace in the conflict-affected areas. An officer in the critical Corps of Signals, in the past, she had been picked for the role of a military observer in Congo in 2006, besides being part of flood relief operations in the Northeast region. The officer broke the glass ceiling when in 2016, she became the first woman officer to lead its contingent at the multi-national field training exercise, Exercise Force 18, hosted by India for interoperability in sustaining peace among the ASEAN nations. Her selection to lead India's contingent at Exercise Force 18 was endorsed by then Southern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Bipin Rawat, who cited her proven leadership, discipline, and field experience as the basis for the appointment. OFTEN PRAISED BY SUPREME COURT While ruling in favour of granting Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers in the Indian Army, the Supreme Court in 2020 had acknowledged the achievements of Colonel Sophia Qureshi. In its February 17, 2020, judgement, the top court said that absolute exclusion of women from all positions, except staff assignments, in the Army was indefensible, and their blanket non-consideration for command appointments without any justification cannot be sustained in law. The top court also referred to the distinctions achieved by women officers, and put out an example of Col Qureshi's achievements. First Published:
Deccan Herald
07-05-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
Who are Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the women who jointly led the media briefing on Operation Sindoor?
Leading lady Lt Col Sophia Qureshi, 1st woman officer to lead an Army training contingent at Force18 - #ASEAN Plus multin'l field trg ex in 2016. She was only Woman Officers Contingent Commander among all #ASEAN Plus contingents. #WomensDay #IWD2020 #EachforEqual #SheInspiresUs
