“Meet Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh: The Faces Behind Operation Sindoor’s Strategic Messaging”

In the briefing, Col Sofiya Qureshi spoke in Hindi, detailing how specific terrorist targets were precisely destroyed, while Wing Commander Vyomika Singh shared the same updates in English.

On Wednesday morning, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed the media at the National Media Centre in New Delhi to discuss India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Alongside him were two lesser-known figures—Wing Commander Vyomika Singh from the Indian Air Force and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi from the Indian Army. The government’s decision to have two female officers present the details of ‘Operation Sindoor’ carried a powerful message that didn’t go unnoticed.

In the press briefing, Col Sofiya Qureshi explained in Hindi how specific terrorist targets were hit with precise strikes. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh then shared the same details in English. Interestingly, the briefing lasted 25 minutes—the same length of time as Operation Sindoor.

Earlier, during major military actions, senior male officials led the media briefings. After the 2016 Uri attack, it was Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh, then DGMO of the Indian Army, who addressed the press. In 2019, following the Balakot airstrikes, then Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale gave the official statement.

Who is Colonel Sofiya Qureshi?

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a 44-year-old officer from the Army’s Signal Corps, was one of 11 women whose achievements were praised in the Supreme Court’s landmark 2020 ruling on gender equality in Army leadership roles. The court rejected the government’s opposition to giving women command positions and highlighted the contributions of these officers, stating that women in the Indian Army have made the nation proud. Qureshi was among those honored.

Colonel Qureshi made history as the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent in a major multinational military exercise. In February and March 2016, at the age of 35, she commanded a 40-member Indian Army team during the exercise.

The Multinational Field Training Exercise (FTX) – Exercise FORCE 18, which included ASEAN Plus countries, was the largest ground forces exercise held in India at the time. It focused on themes like ‘Humanitarian Mine Action’ and ‘Peacekeeping Operations.’

Colonel Qureshi participated in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006 and has been involved in peacekeeping missions for over six years. She was chosen from a group of peacekeeping trainers to lead the exercise. When asked about her role, she proudly 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 late General Bipin Rawat, Army Commander of the Southern Command and later India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, praised her. He said, “In the Army, we believe in equal opportunity and responsibility. There’s no distinction between male and female officers. She was chosen not because she’s a woman, but because of her skills and leadership qualities.”

Colonel Qureshi has a postgraduate degree in Biochemistry. She is from Vadodara, Gujarat, and comes from a family with a strong military background—her grandfather served in the Army, and her father was an Army religious teacher. She joined the Indian Army in 1999 through the Officers Training Academy and is married to Major Tajuddin Qureshi of the Mechanised Infantry.

Who is Wing Commander Vyomika Singh?

Singh, a helicopter pilot in the Air Force, was commissioned into the IAF on December 18, 2004, as part of the 21st Short Service Commission (Women) Flying Pilot Course. She was promoted to Wing Commander on December 18, 2017. Specializing in helicopter operations, she has over 2,500 flying hours on Chetak and Cheetah helicopters. In 2021, she took part in a tri-services all-women mountaineering expedition to Mt. Manirang, one of Himachal Pradesh’s highest peaks, located at the border of Kinnaur and Spiti districts, showcasing her resilience and dedication.