Sofia Qureshi: Ek Inspirational Indian Army Officer Ki Kahani

Sofia Qureshi – ek aisa naam jo aaj har deshbhakt ke dil mein garv jagata hai. Colonel Sofia Qureshi ne Indian Army mein apne leadership, discipline aur courage ke zariye woh kar dikhaya jo aaj tak kisi mahila ne nahi kiya tha. Unka safar ek ordinary ladki se lekar ek extraordinary Army Officer banne tak, har young generation ke liye prerna ka strot hai.

Early Life: Ek Fauji Parivaar Se Prerna

Sofia Qureshi ka janm 1981 mein Vadodara, Gujarat mein hua. Unka parivaar ek military background se tha – unke dada Indian Army mein serve kar chuke the, jisne unke dil mein deshbhakti aur discipline ke beej chhoti umr se hi boya. Unhone Maharaja Sayajirao University se Bio-Chemistry mein post-graduation kiya, jahan unka academic performance lajawab tha.

Sirf 17 saal ki umr mein Sofia ne Indian Army join karne ka sapna dekha aur 1999 mein Short Service Commission ke zariye Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai se apni military journey ki shuruaat ki. Unka dedication unhe Corps of Signals mein ek talented aur dependable officer banata gaya.

Achievements: Breaking Stereotypes and Leading with Pride

1. First Indian Woman to Lead a Multinational Contingent (2016)

2016 mein Sofia ne history rachi jab unhone Exercise Force 18 mein Indian Army ke 40-member team ko lead kiya. Ye exercise Pune mein 2-8 March tak chali, jisme ASEAN countries jaise India, Japan, China, USA, etc. shamil the. Sofia sirf Indian contingent ki nahi, balki poore event ki ekmatra woman commander thi. Ye milestone na sirf unke liye, balki Women in Armed Forces ke liye bhi ek revolution tha.

2. UN Peacekeeping Mission – Congo (2006)

Sofia ne 2006 mein United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo mein military observer ke roop mein duty ki. Conflict zones mein ceasefire monitoring aur humanitarian aid efforts ke dauraan unhone apni leadership aur diplomacy skills ka pradarshan kiya.

3. Operation Sindoor (2025)

Recent strategic mission Operation Sindoor, jo ki Pahalgam terror attack ke jawab mein launch kiya gaya tha, uske media briefing mein Sofia ka strong presence sabke samne aaya. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh aur Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri ke saath press conference mein Sofia ne cross-border strikes par detail share kiya, jisse unki strategic thinking aur operational command dikhayi di.

4. Military Awards and Recognition

Unke exceptional service ke liye unhe kai prestigious military honors mil chuke hain:

• GOC-in-C Commendation Card for Operation Parakram
• Signal Officer-in-Chief (SO-in-C) Commendation Card for flood relief operations in Northeast India

Personal Life: Duty ke Saath Family ka Balance

Sofia ki personal life bhi unki professional life ki tarah disciplined hai. Unki shaadi Major Tajuddin Qureshi se hui hai, jo Mechanised Infantry mein serve karte hain. Unka ek beta hai – Sameer Qureshi. Apni responsibilities ke beech mein Sofia ne hamesha kaha hai – “Duty Comes First.” Ye line unki soch aur commitment ko perfectly define karti hai.

Ek Nayi Generation ke Liye Prerna

Colonel Sofia Qureshi ka message har young woman ke liye clear hai:
“Join the Army, believe in yourself, and serve the nation with pride.”

Unka safar proof hai ki gender koi barrier nahi hai agar aapke paas vision, courage aur hard work ho. Aaj wo Indian Army women officers ke liye ek trailblazer hain, jinhone naye darwaze khole hain aur har ladki ko inspire kiya hai jo uniform ka sapna dekhti hai.

Conclusion

Colonel Sofia Qureshi ek aisi iconic personality hain jinhone Army mein apni mehnat, discipline aur visionary leadership se naya itihas likha hai. Chahe woh Exercise Force 18 ho, UN Mission in Congo, ya Operation Sindoor – unhone hamesha desh ke liye apni zimmedariyon ko shaan se nibhaya hai.

Aaj ke samay mein jab duniya women empowerment ki baat karti hai, Colonel Sofia Qureshi us empowerment ka jeeta-jaagta example hain. Unki kahani har Indian, khaaskar har young woman ke liye ek motivational blueprint hai.