Col Sofiya Qureshi: A ‘fauji’ kid driven to serve nation

New Delhi: Col Sofiya Qureshi, who briefed the media on Wednesday alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh on India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, is a multi-generation officer in the Army who imbibed the spirit of serving the nation from an early age.

Qureshi, an officer from the Corps of Signals, spoke in Hindi while IAF helicopter pilot Singh shared the details in English, complementing each other.

In a panel discussion hosted in 2017, Qureshi shared about her journey into the armed forces and what inspired her to don the olive-green uniform.

“Being a ‘Fauji’ kid, I was exposed to the army environment. My mother wanted either of us two sisters to join the Army. I applied for it and got it. My grandfather was also in the Army, and he used to say, ‘It is our responsibility, as every citizen, to be alert and stand up for our country and defend the nation. ‘ It is a dignified and honourable job,” she had recalled.

She also said that when she “joined the academy, the Kargil war was going on”.

The officer also led an army training contingent at a multinational field training exercise in 2016.

“1st woman officer to lead an Army training contingent at Force18 - #ASEAN Plus multinational field training exercise in 2016. She was the only Woman Officers Contingent Commander among all #ASEAN Plus contingents. #WomensDay #IWD2020 #EachforEqual #SheInspiresUs,” the Ministry of Defence had said in a Women’s Day post on X, sharing a photograph of Qureshi.