Meet Sofiya Qureshi and Vyomika Singh—officers leading 'Operation Sindoor' briefing
What's the story
In a historic first, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Armed Forces jointly addressed an official press briefing on 'Operation Sindoor.'
The precision air and ground strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan are a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was also present at the briefing.
Pioneer
Colonel Qureshi: A trailblazer in the Indian Army
Colonel Qureshi is an officer from the Indian Army's Corps of Signals.
In March 2016, she became the first woman officer to command an Indian Army contingent at a multinational military exercise.
She commanded a contingent at the Exercise Force 18 in Pune, India—the largest foreign military exercise ever hosted on Indian soil.
The war games brought together forces from 18 nations, including Japan, Russia, China, the United States, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia.
Others
Qureshi served as military observer in Congo
Qureshi also led her team in critical training segments focusing on Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) and Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA).
According to reports, she served as a military observer in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo in 2006 and has been actively involved in peacekeeping operations since 2010, where she continues to make distinguished contributions.
Aviation ace
Wing Commander Singh: A dedicated helicopter pilot
Wing Commander Singh is the first in her family to join the armed forces.
She chased her dream with the help of India's National Cadet Corps (NCC).
She was commissioned as a helicopter pilot and granted a permanent commission in the flying branch.
With over 2,500 flying hours on her resume, she has flown Chetak and Cheetah in tough areas like J&K and India's Northeast.
She was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander in 2017.
Beyond duty
Singh's contributions extend beyond operational missions
Singh's contributions to the Indian Air Force are not limited to operational missions.
In 2021, she was part of a tri-services all-women mountaineering expedition to Mt. Manirang (height: 21,650 feet/6,593 meters). The expedition received wide recognition, including commendation from the Chief of Air Staff.
Singh has also been an integral part of several search and rescue missions, including lifesaving operations under extreme weather conditions in Arunachal Pradesh in November 2020.