Operation Sindoor: Women Lead the War Room
Colonel Sophia, Wing Commander Vyomika brief nation on India’s precision strike

Deccan News Service | New Delhi | May 7

India, in a swift and decisive move, struck deep into enemy territory, avenging the gruesome terror attack in Pahalgam with a coordinated offensive named Operation Sindoor. But beyond the missiles and maneuvers, it was the presence of two exceptional women officers—Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—who captured the nation’s attention during the high-profile media briefing on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Defence, flanked by the Ministry of External Affairs, unveiled details of the strategic offensive that neutralized nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were calibrated, brief, and clinical—India’s answer to the cowardly attack on civilians in Kashmir. But what made the briefing historic was not just its content, but its messengers.

Colonel Sophia Qureshi: Grit with Grace
An officer of the Indian Army Signal Corps, Colonel Qureshi hails from Gujarat and holds a postgraduate degree in biochemistry. Her military record is storied and inspiring. She joined the Army in the 1990s and has served with distinction in multiple roles, including a stint with the UN peacekeeping forces in Congo in 2006.

In 2016, she etched her name in history by becoming the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multinational military exercise—Exercise Force 18 in Pune, attended by 18 nations. Her focus then, as now, was coordination in high-stakes missions, including peacekeeping and mine clearance. A decorated and respected officer, she was lauded by none other than the late General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh: Wings of Steel
Equally compelling is the journey of Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, an IAF pilot with dreams of flight since childhood. A former NCC cadet and engineering graduate, she joined the Air Force and quickly proved her mettle. On December 18, 2019, she earned a permanent commission in the flying branch—an achievement few women in India’s military history have attained.

Vyomika has piloted Chetak and Cheetah helicopters across some of the most inhospitable terrains, including the highlands of Jammu and Kashmir and the volatile regions of the North-East. Her role in multiple rescue and combat missions has earned her accolades from peers and superiors alike. She remains the first in her family to join the armed forces.

Symbolism and Strategy
The decision to have two women officers front the media briefing wasn’t just symbolic—it was strategic. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, himself a Kashmiri Pandit, also addressed the press, reinforcing the government's message of national unity and resilience. Analysts suggest that the presence of Sophia and Vyomika was a deliberate counter-narrative to the Pahalgam killings, where many tourists were slain in front of their wives.

In a nation where women have often been viewed as victims in times of conflict, Operation Sindoor turned the script. The sight of these two officers—stoic, articulate, and authoritative—declaring India’s military response was a powerful image. It showcased that Indian women are not just survivors of tragedy but leaders in justice.

Operation Sindoor, in its execution and its exposition, has become a watershed moment. Not just for India’s military prowess, but for the emergence of women as the face of national resolve.