In a defining moment following India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, the official press briefing was led by two senior women officers—Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.The two decorated officers stood before the nation to outline the details and intent behind the pre-dawn strikes, which were carried out in coordination by the tri-services – the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF). The fired missiles targeted multiple terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADCatch all the live updates from
India’s Operation Sindoor hereThe high-level briefing on
Operation Sindoor by women officers was a powerful statement in itself. It not only reflected India’s commitment to ending terrorism but also honoured the widows of those who lost their lives.More from Explainers
A Kashmiri, a Muslim, two women officers: The message in India’s briefing after Operation Sindoor
21 terror camps wiped out in 25 minutes: How India struck at the heart of LeT, JeMSindoor, or vermillion, is a mark of married Hindu women and a reference to the
Pahalgam massacre in which men, including those newly married, were singled out on the basis of their religion and shot dead by terrorists.So, who are these two decorated women officers who led the briefing? And what did they say? Here’s everything we know so far.Who Are Col. Sofiya Qureshi and Wg Cdr. Vyomika Singh?Col. Sofiya QureshiLieutenant Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is an officer from the Corps of Signals in the Indian Army with years of experience in peacekeeping roles.In 2016, she became the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multinational field training exercise, which included ASEAN Plus countries. At the time, it was the largest Ground Forces Exercise ever conducted on Indian soil and was based on the themes ‘Humanitarian Mine Action’ and ‘Peacekeeping Operations’.Editor’s Picks1How India used Scalp missiles, Hammer bombs and drones for precision strikes in Operation Sindoor2Operation Sindoor: Ten family members of Jaish terrorist Masood Azhar killedChosen from among several experienced peacekeeping trainers, Lt Col Qureshi had been associated with peacekeeping duties since 2010. But her experience goes even further back when she served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo in 2006 as a military observer.Explaining the role of such missions, she told Indian Express, “On these missions, we monitor the ceasefires in those countries and also aid in the humanitarian activities. The job is to ensure peace in the conflict affected areas.”STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADLt Col Qureshi is from Gujarat and comes from a family with a military background—both her grandfather and father served in the Army.Commissioned through the Officers Training Academy in 1999, she has been posted across various regions in India, including counter-insurgency areas, in signal regiments. In addition to her military achievements, she holds a postgraduate degree in biochemistry.When asked what drew her to the Army, she said, “It’s the same charm what draws the men, the love for the nation and honour and pride in donning the uniform.”Wg Cdr. Vyomika SinghWing Commander Vyomika Singh is a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force with over 2,500 hours of flying experience.Her childhood dream to join the armed forces began with the National Cadet Corps (NCC). After completing her engineering studies, she went on to become the first in her family to join the military.She was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on December 18, 2019, following which she received a permanent commission in the flying branch.Over the years, she has flown helicopters like the Chetak and Cheetah in high-altitude and difficult regions such as Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADWing Commander Singh has also been involved in several rescue missions. In November 2020, she led a high-risk evacuation operation in Arunachal Pradesh, flying through extreme weather and remote terrain to rescue civilians.In 2021, she took part in a tri-services all-women mountaineering expedition to Mt Manirang, which stands at 21,650 feet. The team’s effort and endurance were recognised by senior defence officials, including the Chief of Air Staff.What was revealed in the official briefing?Lieutenant Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh appeared alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the official media briefing to share key details of Operation Sindoor.Wing Commander Singh spoke about the purpose and planning behind the strikes. “Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed. The locations were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructures and loss of any civilian lives,” she said.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADColonel Qureshi presented video footage showing successful strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).The videos, captured through onboard targeting systems and surveillance drones, confirmed direct hits on several key terrorist facilities. These included camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).The Indian Army targeted locations in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Tehra Kalan, Sialkot, Bhimber, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad—areas that have long been known to harbour training camps and operational bases of groups like LeT, JeM, and Hizbul Mujahideen.“This camp was a training centre for terrorists involved in the Mumbai 2008 attacks, including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley,” the Army officers said, adding that India was “ready to deal with any misadventure by Pakistan”.Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the missile strikes, calling the attack an “act of war.” Sharif said his country has every right to give a “befitting reply.”With input from agenciesTagsIndiaIndia-Pakistan TensionPakistanEnd of Article
Visit link:
Who are Sofiya Qureshi and Vyomika Singh, Indian officers who led Operation Sindoor briefing?
