From UN peacekeeping in Congo to India’s missile strikes response, Col. Qureshi continues to break barriers in the armed forces
New Delhi: In a landmark ruling in February 2020, the Supreme Court had acknowledged the achievements of Colonel Sofia Qureshi, one of the two women officers who briefed the media on “Operation Sindoor” on Wednesday and Thursday, while granting Permanent Commission to women officers in the Indian Army.
The apex court, which allowed Permanent Commission to women officers in the Army, said an absolute prohibition of women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers to obtain anything but staff appointments did not fulfil the purpose of granting PC as a means of career advancement in the Army.
The top court also referred to the distinctions achieved by women officers, and put out an example of Col. Qureshi's achievements.
"Lieutenant Colonel Sophia Qureshi (Army Signal Corps) is the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multinational military exercise named 'Exercise Force 18', which is the largest ever foreign military exercise hosted by India. 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 the conflict-affected areas," the apex court had said.
Taking note of the Centre's affidavit in the matter, the court had said that the counter-affidavit contained a detailed elaboration of the service rendered by women SSC officers to the cause of the nation, working shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts.
"Yet, that role is sought to be diluted by the repeated pleas made before this court that women, by the nature of their biological composition and social milieu, have a less important role to play than their male counterparts.
"Such a line of submission is disturbing as it ignores the solemn constitutional values which every institution in the nation is bound to uphold and facilitate. Women officers of the Indian Army have brought laurels to the force," the apex court had highlighted.
During the media briefing on Wednesday, Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) flanked Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on the dais, who delivered the opening statement from the government. The trio also addressed the media on Thursday with latest updates on the Operation Sindoor.
The briefing came hours after the Indian armed forces, under “Operation Sindoor”, carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Born in Gujarat's Vadodara in 1974, Col Qureshi graduated with a Master's in biochemistry from the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in 1997.
An officer in the critical Corps of Signals, in the past, she had been picked for the role of a military observer in Congo in 2006, besides being part of flood relief operations in the Northeast region.
The officer broke the glass ceiling when in 2016, she became the first woman officer to lead its contingent at the multi-national field training exercise, Exercise Force 18, hosted by India for interoperability in sustaining peace among the Asean nations.
