In a moment that history will remember with pride, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stood at the forefront of India’s Operation Sindoor media briefing—not just as an officer, but as a symbol of courage, intelligence, and evolution within the Indian Armed Forces. With her calm, assertive voice and battle-tested credentials, she not only detailed India’s precise counter-terror operation but also quietly shattered yet another glass ceiling.

A Legacy Begins in Vadodara

Born in 1981 in Vadodara, Gujarat, Colonel Qureshi grew up in a household that understood discipline and service. Her grandfather had served in the Indian Army, and those stories of sacrifice and valor seeped into her childhood imagination. Instead of merely admiring the uniform, she decided to earn it.

An academically gifted student, she pursued postgraduate studies in biochemistry before being commissioned into the Indian Army in 1999 via the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai. She joined the Corps of Signals, the nerve center of battlefield communication, where quick thinking and precision are not optional—they’re the standard.

Leading Where Few Have Gone

In 2016, Sofiya Qureshi made headlines as the first Indian woman officer to command a military contingent in a multinational exercise. At ‘Exercise Force 18’—a joint military exercise involving 18 nations—she wasn’t just representing India; she was redefining what leadership looked like. Among all the participating countries, she was the only woman commander.

Her command was not symbolic. It was earned through years of discipline, field operations, and strategic acumen.

Service Beyond Borders

Colonel Qureshi has also served in multiple United Nations Peacekeeping Missions, including a critical posting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There, she worked in some of the most complex post-conflict zones, managing ceasefire monitoring, civilian protection efforts, and inter-agency coordination. Her ability to lead with empathy and clarity during international missions earned her deep respect both within and outside the Army.

Operation Sindoor: A National Moment

On May 7, 2025, India watched as Colonel Qureshi co-led the official briefing on Operation Sindoor alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. This marked a historic first: two women representing the Indian Armed Forces in a public announcement of a major military operation.

Operation Sindoor was a carefully orchestrated counter-terror operation conducted in response to the brutal Pahalgam attack on April 22 that claimed 26 innocent lives. With poise, Colonel Qureshi explained how the Indian Army had targeted nine terror hideouts across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, ensuring no civilian or military infrastructure unrelated to terrorism was harmed.

Her statement was powerful: “Our operations were based on clear intelligence and executed with surgical precision. The objective was justice—not escalation.”

The Woman Behind the Uniform

Beyond her official designations, Colonel Qureshi is a mother and a wife. She is married to an officer from the Mechanised Infantry and is raising their son, Sameer, with the same values that have defined her own path—discipline, service, and integrity.

Colleagues speak of her as someone who leads not just with command, but with care. Her juniors admire her for standing firm in high-pressure situations. Her seniors trust her judgment.

Redefining Power and Patriotism

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi’s story is not just about gender milestones—it’s about what happens when competence meets courage. It’s about a leader who doesn’t ask for space, but creates it. Her voice at the Operation Sindoor briefing was not just India’s—it was also every young girl’s who dreams of wearing the uniform one day.

In an era where words like “representation” and “empowerment” are often used loosely, Colonel Qureshi lives them every single day—without drama, without detours. Just duty.