Colonel Qureshi, once celebrated by Supreme Court, now leads from the front in Operation Sindoor

New Delhi, May 8: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army, who on Wednesday briefed the media on Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory strike following the Pahalgam terror attack, is no stranger to making history. Long before she stood at the podium as one of the faces of India’s military response, her trailblazing career had already been etched into Indian legal history repots Bar & Bench,

Her achievements were highlighted in detail by the Supreme Court of India in its landmark February 2020 verdict that granted permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Armed Forces, a turning point in the military’s gender parity journey. As reported by Bar & Bench, the judgment, authored by Justices DY Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi, specifically recognized Qureshi’s contribution as emblematic of the professionalism and capability women officers bring to the armed forces.

“Lieutenant Colonel Sophia Qureshi (Army Signal Corps) is the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multi-national military exercise named Exercise Force 18, which is the largest ever foreign military exercise hosted by India,” the Court observed in its judgment. That same judgment also noted that she had served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006, where her duties included monitoring ceasefires and facilitating humanitarian aid in conflict-affected regions. “She has served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006 where she, along with others, was in charge of monitoring ceasefires in those countries and aiding in humanitarian activities. Her job included ensuring peace in conflict affected areas,” the Supreme Court noted.

Now, in 2025, Colonel Qureshi stands at the forefront again—this time in a conflict that is unfolding in real time. Alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, she presented India’s military assessment of the recent escalation with Pakistan, reiterating that the country’s strikes under Operation Sindoor were “focused, measured and non-escalatory.” Her presence as a spokesperson reflects not only the growing prominence of women in operational military roles, but also how far the Indian Armed Forces have come since that crucial legal verdict five years ago. What was once a battle in courtrooms is now an everyday reality on India’s strategic frontlines.