Meet the stars of Operation Sindoor: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh

NEW DELHI: Two young women officers of the Indian Armed Forces have become national icons after revealing to the world the success of Operation Sindoor, a counterstrike against terrorists who had brutally massacred men in Pahalgam, leaving 26 women widowed—symbolically wiping away their sindoor (a traditional symbol of marriage).

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed a press conference alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, where they presented video evidence and explained the mission. Colonel Sofiya spoke in Hindi, while Wing Commander Vyomika narrated the events in English, showcasing India’s brave retaliation to the global audience.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is the first woman officer in the Corps of Signals of the Indian Army. She had earlier drawn attention in 2016 by leading a 40-member Indian contingent in the international military exercise 'Exercise Force 18' hosted by India, where she was the only female commander. She also served with the Indian peacekeeping force in Congo in 2006 and has participated in several complex missions. At 44, she was entrusted with the task of announcing to the world India’s calculated response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Hailing from Vadodara, Colonel Sofiya comes from a family with a strong military background—both her grandfather and father served in the army. Her husband, Major Tajuddin Qureshi, is an officer in the infantry, and they have a son named Sameer Qureshi. Born in 1981, Sofiya holds a degree in Chemistry and a post-graduate degree in Biochemistry. She was commissioned into the army in 1999 after training at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.

Her excellence and commitment were once praised by the late General Bipin Rawat, former Army Chief and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who called her an asset to the armed forces.

Vyomika Singh: Girl who dreamt of flying since childhood
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force, comes from a non-military background but had dreamt of flying since childhood. Her name, Vyomika, fittingly means “one who lives in the sky.” She was commissioned into the helicopter division of the Indian Air Force on December 18, 2019. She was promoted to Wing Commander in 2017. She is an expert in flying Chetak and Cheetah helicopters, with over 2,500 flying hours to her credit.

She has participated in military rescue operations in Arunachal Pradesh and was part of the women’s military team that scaled the 21,650-foot Manirang Peak, spanning Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur and Spiti districts, in 2021. Her husband is also a pilot in the Indian Air Force.