When Colonel Sofiya Qureshi spoke to the nation in the media briefing for Operation Sindoor on early Wednesday morning, her family, particularly her twin sister, witnessed with a blend of surprise, pride, and tears. For Shyna Sunsara, who operates a joint venture film production house in Mumbai, the moment was deeply personal. We talked just the other day, and being as committed an Army officer as she is, she didn’t drop a hint to even a minute extent about what was to transpire,” said Shyna over a telephone call. “Looking at her delivering a speech about such a momentous operation, I was just swept away. It was experiencing my own fantasy through her.
Colonel Qureshi, who became the first Indian woman officer to command an Army contingent in a multinational exercise and has earlier commanded a UN peacekeeping force in Congo, has been a low-key achiever for a long time. Her inspiring story goes back to Vadodara, where she did her B.Sc. in Chemistry and M.Sc. in Biochemistry from the Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda in 1997. She got selected for the Army in 1999 on her first attempt itself — something that even her immediate family members did not expect, considering her original dreams of becoming a scientist in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and working under Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
“Science was her love at first,” says Shyna. “She received admission from the US, and she wanted to work for the country using scientific research. But at some point, the uniform beckoned her — and she responded.”
Shyna herself had had ambitions to join the Army, inspired by tales of heroism from their grandmother and the structured heritage of their father and grandfather, both Army men. Years in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) did not yield selection for Shyna. “I used to regret it bitterly. But now, when I see Sofiya in uniform, it feels like a part of me is fulfilling that dream too.”
Their Vadodara family house has always been built on the principles of duty and patriotism. Once their father retired and the family shifted to the city, the culture of military discipline continued to be the overarching theme. “If our parents had their way, all five siblings of us — our older brother and two younger brothers — would have enlisted in the Army,” says Shyna with a chuckle. “But Sofiya? She’s always been something different. Dedicated, driven, full of creative ideas. Even when she returns home, she’s always thinking about how to make life better for women officers or bring new ideas to the Army.”
That same spirit was seen in her composed but firm attitude during the Operation Sindoor briefing. Her father, Taj Mohammad, beamed with pride into cameras from their Vadodara house, saying, “We are Indians first. That is what we have taught our children. I am proud of Sofiya and proud of our country. What Prime Minister Modi has done — no one else has had the courage to do. PoK belongs to us, and it must come back.”
Col Qureshi’s mother, Halima Qureshi, provided a moving touch to the national moment. “Only a woman who has lost her sindoor — her husband — can comprehend the pain. Operation Sindoor is justice for such women. When we interviewed Sofiya later, she only asked us, ‘Did you see the news?’ She never talks of her work, but we understand how much it means to her.
Sofiya’s academic roots have always been accompanied by her service to the country. In January of this year, she visited MSU Baroda’s Department of Biochemistry to see her teachers. In a statement from the university, her visit was “an inspiring moment for students and staff alike, reaffirming the deep-rooted values of academic excellence and national service that MSU stands for.
When she was on her 2006 UN Peacekeeping deployment in Congo, Sofiya had phoned Shyna from the war zone. “She knew I was living my Army fantasies through her,” Shyna explained. “She put the phone out so I could hear the gunfire and said, ‘Can you hear this? These are real bullets.’ I was scared to death and told her to be careful.”. One day, when I went to see her in Kashmir, officers requested me to confirm if I was afraid. She defended me and explained how I desired to be part of the Army and have no fears. That experience remains with me to date.”
Even as she has climbed the ranks and assignments, Col Qureshi continues to be very connected to her family and defensive of her identity. “She used to visit frequently from Vadodara,” reported Shyna, “but since her new assignment, her visits are less regular. She is very guarded about what we share on social media. If I put up a photo that could give out her location, she promptly asks me to remove it.”
Her parents view her achievement not only as a professional milestone but also as an extension of a lifelong commitment to serving the nation. “She never played sports. She wasn’t even in NCC. But she was always a studious student, a think-alike student. We are absolutely sure she was destined for this,” Shyna states.
On the touchy topic of the Pahalgam attacks that led to Operation Sindoor, Shyna is forthright. “Terrorism is not a religion. It is evil that kills humanity and economies. The government’s response was necessary and justified.”
As India celebrates the courage and leadership of Col Sofiya Qureshi, her alma mater MSU, her family in Vadodara, and her twin sister in Mumbai stand united in admiration — not just for the soldier she has become, but for the values she represents. A woman of science, a patriot by choice, and a symbol of quiet revolution in uniform, Col Qureshi’s story is not just her own. It is India’s.
