Overview

• Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, involved precision airstrikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
• Colonel Sofiya Qureshi co-led the May 7 briefing on the operation, marking the first time a woman officer has led a military press conference of national importance in India.
• Qureshi’s rise reflects a legacy of military service, tracing back to her great-grandmother, who fought alongside Rani Laxmibai in the 1857 revolt.
• The 2020 Supreme Court ruling on Permanent Commission for women officers recognized Qureshi’s leadership at Exercise Force 18 and her UN peacekeeping role in Congo.
• Her Pune roots and family’s multigenerational service have drawn community pride and national recognition for her groundbreaking role.