Latest news with #SophiyaQureshi
Economic Times
3 days ago
- General
- Economic Times
A fillip for India's Veerangana tradition
One family factoid that my mother proudly revealed when I displayed a brief teenage fascination for tanks, fighter aircraft and warships was that her second eldest sister (in a family of five daughters and a son) served in the Women's Auxiliary Corps during World War II. My feisty aunt, who went into a totally different career eventually at All India Radio, apparently drove trucks and jeeps, one of the few roles open to women in the armed forces back was athletic in her youth, belying her tiny stature, even playing tennis-in a saree, as per the norms of the day. So when India was tapped for volunteers by its colonial ruler as the war in Europe spread around the world, she eagerly grabbed the opportunity to wear a uniform and serve. The teenage me marvelled at my aunt (already a portly radio professional by the time I came along) grabbing such an unusual opportunity as the daughter of a senior civil servant. Seeing the smiling faces of the 17 cadets of the first batch of women to graduate from India's National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla in Pune last Friday, many Indians would probably be reminded of Colonel Sophiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, the calm and steely 'faces' of the Indian armed forces during the tense days of Operation Sindoor earlier in May. But I imagined my late aunt instead; she would have been over a century old now. India has had a very long history of women in combat, although the school textbooks tend to stick to references to their roles in the British Indian Army, as well as the women-only Rani of Jhansi regiment of Indian National Army. In fact, the latter actually belied the long-held belief that women cannot (and perhaps even should not) be deployed in combat roles and would not have the strength or stamina to undergo the required training. The INA women did it all. Their grit and fighting spirit should have inspired the Indian armed forces to carry forward the legacy of the Rani of Jhansi regiment after Independence but the institution remained beholden to the British military heritage. Though women joined the medical and judicial wings, they were commissioned to some selected other arms only from the end of the 20th century. And a quarter of the 21st century has elapsed before this first batch of women graduated from now, there will be many doubts about whether Indian women have the wherewithal to serve in the fighting divisions of our armed forces in the same way as men. There are already qualifying 'expert' comments about how women will perform their roles well as soldiers today as wars have become more technical rather than physical. Less battle cries and engaging the enemy in tank, gun and one-to-one combat and more drone, missile and is a disservice to the long tradition of veeranganas-brave women-in Indian history, a part of our heritage that has been woefully under-appreciated. India is unique in terms of its consistent reverence for feminine power, Shakti. The warrior goddesses of other ancient faith systems have been forgotten and supplanted by others that do not revere women in their fierce fighter form. Yet India has held true to that belief through the vicissitudes of history. When this first batch of women NDA graduates took that 'Antim Pag' or Last Step from the precincts of their training academy into the world of soldiers defending India, they were taking the first step towards fully reasserting our ancient faith in Shakti. All women in uniform who preceded them (per force in limited roles in our armed forces so far) will not be the only ones wishing them a valorous future. My aunt and mother will be smiling too, somewhere.
United News of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Country awaiting BJP's action on MP minister: Mayawati
Lucknow, May 15 (UNI) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Thursday said the country was waiting for action from the BJP against the Madhya Pradesh minister who made derogatory remarks against Colonel Sophiya Qureshi. Taking to X, Mayawati posted, "The FIR lodged late Wednesday night after the High Court's tough observations against the Madhya Pradesh minister who made derogatory remarks about the Muslim woman colonel, is appropriate, but the country is waiting for action from the BJP." 'It is necessary for the state governments to fulfil their constitutional responsibility, otherwise the expected development will keep getting hampered, which is not right in the public and country's interest," said the BSP chief. UNI AB PRS
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
After Operation Sindoor, X account in Canada posts fake news related to Col Sofiya Qureshi; Karnataka Police issue a warning
After a post falsely claiming that supporters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) vandalised the home of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi in Belagavi, Karnataka, surfaced on X, the district police chief said Thursday that the account holder has been warned, and security has been provided to her family. Soon after Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefed the media on Operation Sindoor, social media posts, including fake narratives, went viral on social media. An X handle, @uddinanis867, with verified blue tick, posted, 'Breaking: Disturbing attack on Muslim Indian Army officer's family. Col. Sofiya Qureshi, the newly appointed spokesperson of the Indian Army, has become the latest target of RSS-led hate. According to credible sources, Sofiya's family home in Belagavi (Konnur village) was attacked around 3 am by RSS extremists'. '… The Indian Army has reportedly restricted Col. Sofiya's movement, and her entire family has been moved to Delhi for safety, as her name is now allegedly on the RSS hit list,' it added. Soon after it went viral, Bheemashankar S Guled, Superintendent of Police, Belagavi, said there was no such incident, and also warned action against the account holder. Guled said the fake message came to light after the district's social media monitoring cell noticed it. 'I issued a warning to initiate legal action for spreading the fake news. He immediately removed the post,' he added. Guled said the family has been given security. During their investigation, the police found that the X account holder is from British Columbia, Canada, but said they are yet to get clarity on whether the person is an Indian citizen living in that country. Col Sophiya Qureshi is married to Major Tajuddin Qureshi of the Mechanised Infantry, who hails from the Konnur village in the Belagavi district. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, alluding to Col Sophiya Qureshi, said earlier this week that those who widowed India's daughters were taught a lesson by Prime Minister Narendra Modi using 'their own sister'. Shah's remarks triggered a row, with the Congress alleging that it was a reference to Colonel Sophiya Qureshi. Hours after the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Shah, the Supreme Court Thursday expressed displeasure over his remarks. The top court was hearing Shah's plea to quash the High Court order. 'A person holding such a public office is expected to uphold certain standards. Every sentence uttered by a minister has to be with responsibility… When this country is going through such a situation… just because you are a minister…,' Chief Justice of India B R Gavai said.
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Operation Sindoor: Meet Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh leading Modi Govt's military messaging
On Wednesday morning, as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri took his seat at the National Media Centre in the heart of the capital to brief the media on India's retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, he was accompanied by two unfamiliar faces – Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force and Colonel Sophiya Qureshi of the Indian Army. The significance of the Union government choosing two women officers from the armed forces to disclose details of 'Operation Sindoor' was not lost on anyone. During the briefing, Qureshi addressed the media in Hindi, explaining the selected terrorist targets destroyed through precision attacks, while Singh followed with the same information in English. The briefing lasted 25 minutes – coincidentally, the same duration as 'Operation Sindoor' itself. In contrast, on September 29, 2016, after the surgical strikes carried out in response to the Uri attack, the Indian government had chosen Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, then Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army, to brief the media. Similarly, after the Balakot airstrikes on February 26, 2019, the responsibility of briefing the media was given to then Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale. So, who are the two women that the Modi government chose to disclose details of 'Operation Sindoor'? Who is Colonel Sofiya Qureshi? An officer of the Army's Signal Corps, the 44-year-old Colonel Sophiya Qureshi was one of 11 women officers whose achievements were highlighted by the Supreme Court in its landmark 2020 judgment on gender parity in the Army's top positions. The judgment dismissed the government's arguments against granting women command appointments and specifically acknowledged the accomplishments of these 11 female officers. 'Women officers of the Indian Army have brought laurels to the force,' the Supreme Court noted, and Qureshi was among those recognized. Colonel Qureshi holds the rare distinction of being the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent in a major multinational military exercise. In February and March of 2016, then a 35-year-old Lieutenant Colonel, she led the Indian Army's 40-member contingent in a multinational exercise. The Multinational Field Training Exercise (FTX) – Exercise FORCE 18 involved ASEAN Plus countries and was the largest ground forces exercise ever conducted on Indian soil at the time. It was based on the themes of 'Humanitarian Mine Action' and 'Peacekeeping Operations'. Colonel Qureshi also served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006 and has been associated with peacekeeping operations for over six years. Her leadership in the exercise came after being selected from a pool of peacekeeping trainers. When asked about leading the contingent, she said, 'I feel proud, of course.' Her message to young women in the armed forces was: 'Work hard for the country and make everyone proud.' During that time, the Army Commander of the Southern Command, the late General Bipin Rawat, who later became the Army Chief and India's first Chief of Defence Staff, praised her. He remarked, 'In the Army, we believe in equal opportunity and equal responsibility. There is no difference between male and female officers. She was chosen not because she is a woman but because she has the abilities and leadership qualities to shoulder the responsibility.' Colonel Qureshi holds a postgraduate degree in Biochemistry. She hails from Vadodara, Gujarat, and comes from a family with a strong military tradition—her grandfather served in the Army, and her father was an Army religious teacher. She joined the Indian Army through the Officers Training Academy in 1999 and is married to Major Tajuddin Qureshi of the Mechanised Infantry. Who is Wing Commander Vyomika Singh? A helicopter pilot in the Air Force, Singh was commissioned into the IAF on December 18, 2004, as part of the 21st Short Service Commission (Women) Flying Pilot Course and was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander on December 18, 2017. Specializing in helicopter operations, she has logged over 2,500 flying hours on Chetak and Cheetah helicopters. In 2021, she participated in a tri-services all-women mountaineering expedition to Mt. Manirang, one of the highest peaks of Himachal Pradesh, nestled at the border of Kinnaur & Spiti districts, demonstrating her resilience and dedication.
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Operation Sindoor: All you need to know about India's strikes on terror sites in Pakistan, PoK
India launched 'Operation Sindoor' in the wee hours of Wednesday, hitting nine terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian armed forces carried out the strikes, targetting headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad, as a response to the terrorist attack on April 22 in south Kashmir's Pahalgam which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. '#PahalgamTerrorAttack. Justice is Served. Jai Hind!': the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, Indian Army, said in one of the first posts on X following the strikes. It also posted an image that read 'Operation Sindoor'. Why codename 'Operation Sindoor'? India's retaliatory attack is ostensibly considered a reference to only men being singled out based on their faith before being killed in Pahalgam. In the briefing, Wing Commander Singh and and Col Sophiya Qureshi detailed out the strikes with footage and maps of terror camps in Pakistan and PoK (AP photo) When was Operation Sindoor launched? Operation Sindoor was carried out between 1.05 am and 1.30 am 'to deliver justice to the victims of terror attack and their families,' according to the government briefing. This marked the most expansive and widespread retaliation by India in recent years, since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019 and the surgical strikes following the Uri attack in 2016. While the exact nature of the attack or the weapon systems used is not known so far, they are believed to have been high-precision missile strikes. Prior to the strikes, the government was learnt to be working on a multi-pronged military strategy to re-establish deterrence against Pakistan's hostile behaviour. How many terror camps were hit by India? Nine terrorist camps were 'targeted and successfully destroyed' by the Indian armed forces. 'The action on terror camps were undertaken through 'precision capability'.. a 'niche technology weapons' with 'careful selection of warheads' was ensured so that there were 'no collateral damage', Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said in the briefing. 'No military establishments were targeted,' Singh added. What are the locations struck in Pakistan and PoK? A total of 21 terrorist camps were targetted across nine sites. In the briefing, Wing Commander Singh and and Col Sophiya Qureshi detailed out the strikes with footage and maps of terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Serial No. Terror camp Location 1. Sawai Nala Pakistan-occupied J&K 2. Syed Na Bilal Pakistan-occupied J&K 3. Maskar-e-Aqsa Pakistan-occupied J&K 4. Chelabandi Pakistan-occupied J&K 5. Abdullah Bin Masood Pakistan-occupied J&K 6. Dulai Pakistan-occupied J&K 7. Garhi Habibullah Pakistan 8. Batrasi Pakistan 9. Balakot Pakistan 10. Oghi Pakistan 11. Boi Pakistan 12. Sensa Pakistan-occupied J&K 13. Gulpur Pakistan-occupied J&K 14. Kotli Pakistan-occupied J&K 15. Barali Pakistan-occupied J&K 16. Dungi Pakistan-occupied J&K 17. Barnala Pakistan-occupied J&K 18. Mehmoona Joya Pakistan 19. Sarjal Pakistan 20. Murdike Pakistan 21. Bahawalpur Pakistan A total of 21 terrorist camps were targetted across nine sites. (Visual from the govt briefing on Operation Sindoor) Muridke near Lahore is the home of the Hafiz Saeed-led terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, which carried out the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Muridke has Markaz-e-Taiba, the base camp of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Kotli in PoK is directly across the Line of Control from Jammu. Poonch in J&K is to its north-east and Rajouri south-east. How families of Pahalgam attack victims reacted 'Decisive, targeted response': Naval officer Lt Vinay Narwal's father: Rajesh Narwal praised India's 'appropriate action' and said: 'This is the befitting reply given to terrorists and their perpetrators,' Rajesh. 'It was expected for many days. I thank our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our armed forces for their decisive and targeted response,' he told The Indian Express over the phone. Vinay, who had got married just a week before the attack, was in Pahalgam with his wife Himashi when terrorists shot him dead at point-blank range. 'Most suitable name for operation': N Ramachandran's daughter from Kerala Arathi, a resident of Kochi, said they salute the Indian forces and all those behind Operation Sindoor. 'We have been waiting for this day. Now, there is a sense of relief and comfort. There is a feeling that justice was done. Operation Sindoor is the most suitable name for the operation. Nobody can find a better name for this mission,' she said. During the April 22 attack, Arathi was holding on to her father's body till a panicked cry from her children made her move away from the terrorists. 'Bold step': Prashant Satpathy's wife from Odisha Priyadarshani thanked the Union Government's 'bold step'. 'The terrorists attacked my husband on a Tuesday, and Operation Sindoor also been started on a Tuesday. I request the government to continue the operation to end of terrorism in the world,' she said. The 43-year-old victim worked as an accountant with the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET), Bhubaneswar. Satpathy was on a holiday with his wife and and nine-year-old son when he got bullet injuries on his head as they were alighting from a ropeway. 'Should be properly razed': Niraj Udhwani's uncle from Jaipur 'Good work has been done by the Indian Army in attacking their hideouts, but not all of them have been demolished. They (terrorists) can come over (to the Indian side) again so they should be properly razed,' Prakash told The Indian Express on Wednesday. ' The 33-year-old victim lived and worked in Dubai. He and his wife Aayushi were there to attend a wedding after which the couple took a holiday trip to Pahalgam for a couple of days.
