Meet the women who led Operation Sindoor: Col Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh
India launched a calculated military response in the early hours of May 7, 2025, striking nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under the codename Operation Sindoor. The joint operation by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force was carried out in retaliation for the brutal April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives, including 25 Indians and one Nepali.According to official briefings, the precision strikes were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory”, targeting terrorist bases while deliberately avoiding Pakistani military facilities to minimise the risk of wider conflict. Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh played central roles in publicly outlining the objectives and success of the mission, which the Indian government has labelled a “befitting response”.Operation Sindoor: A retaliatory strike with surgical precisionThe strikes began at 1:44 AM on May 7, 2025, and targeted sites associated with terrorist groups Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). Among the nine targets, four were located inside Pakistan—Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot, and Tehra Kalan—while five were in PoK, including Muzaffarabad and Kotli. Notably, JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur and LeT’s base in Muridke were among the key locations destroyed.The operation employed advanced French-origin SCALP cruise missiles, AASM Hammer precision bombs, and loitering munitions, launched from Indian territory without breaching Pakistani airspace. Rafale jets were deployed, and according to the Ministry of Defence, over 70 terrorists were killed and more than 60 wounded, significantly impairing operational capacities of the groups targeted.Colonel Qureshi stated that the entire operation lasted just 25 minutes, from 1:05 AM to 1:30 AM. She emphasised that credible intelligence had confirmed the use of these sites in cross-border terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally selected the operation’s codename “Sindoor”, symbolising the red vermilion worn by married Hindu women, in a poignant tribute to the widows created by the Pahalgam attack.Colonel Sophia Qureshi: A pioneer in uniformColonel Sophia Qureshi, who addressed the media on May 7, 2025, following India’s retaliatory strikes, is a highly decorated officer in the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals. Born in 1981 in Vadodara, Gujarat, she comes from a military family—her grandfather served in the Indian Army. She holds a postgraduate degree in biochemistry and was commissioned through the Officers Training Academy in 1999. Over her distinguished career, Col Qureshi has built a strong reputation for her operational acumen and leadership.She made history in March 2016 as the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multinational military exercise, “Exercise Force 18,” held in Pune and involving 18 ASEAN Plus nations. She was also the only female contingent commander in the event. Her international experience includes service as a military observer in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo in 2006. Since 2010, she has continued to contribute to peacekeeping operations. Domestically, she has been involved in counter-insurgency campaigns and flood relief operations, earning several commendations for her service. She is married to Major Tajuddin Qureshi of the Mechanised Infantry and is a mother to their son, Sameer. During the Operation Sindoor briefing, she underscored that the operation was aimed at destroying terrorist infrastructure to “break the backbone of terrorism.”Wing Commander Vyomika Singh: Daughter of the skiesWing Commander Vyomika Singh, who co-led the media briefing on Operation Sindoor, is a distinguished helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force and a first-generation military officer. She received her commission in the flying branch with a permanent commission on December 18, 2019. Singh holds an engineering degree and was actively involved in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) during her academic years, a formative experience that fuelled her dream of becoming a military aviator. Her name, Vyomika—meaning “daughter of the sky”—has come to reflect both her passion and profession.She has logged more than 2,500 flying hours, piloting Chetak and Cheetah helicopters across some of the most challenging terrains in India, including Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. In 2021, Singh participated in a tri-services all-women mountaineering expedition to Mt. Manirang, which rises to 21,650 feet, earning recognition from senior defence officials, including the Chief of Air Staff. Known for her courage and calm under pressure, she affirmed during the May 7, 2025, briefing that India remains fully prepared to respond to any misadventures by Pakistan. She also highlighted Pakistan’s role in sustaining terror networks, reinforcing India’s rationale for the precision strikes.Women in uniform at the forefront of national securityColonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh co-led the media briefing on May 7, 2025, underlining India’s resolve and military capability. Their authoritative presence underscored the growing role of women in India’s defence forces—not just as participants but as leaders shaping strategic operations. Their leadership in Operation Sindoor marks a turning point in military history, proving that gender is no barrier when it comes to defending the nation.
