Colonel Qureshi hails from Vadodara, and her parents, brother Mohammad Sanjay Qureshi and sister Shyna Sunsara, were at the roadshow.
The family members of Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who came into the spotlight for holding regular press briefings about ‘Operation Sindoor’, joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Vadodara today (May 26). Colonel Qureshi is a native of Vadodara. Her family, including her parents, brother Mohammad Sanjay Qureshi, and sister Shyna Sunsara, attended the roadshow to show their support.
Prime Minister Modi held a roadshow in Vadodara on Monday morning upon his arrival in Gujarat for a two-day visit. The family members of Colonel Qureshi were also present among the enthusiastic crowd that gathered to greet PM Modi.
Colonel Qureshi’s family applauds PM Modi’s efforts for women’s empowerment
Speaking to media persons after attending PM Modi’s rally, her twin sister Shyna Sunsara expressed pride in Sofiya’s accomplishments and praised the government’s efforts toward empowering women. “We felt good meeting PM Modi. PM Modi has done a lot for women’s empowerment. Sofia is my twin sister. When your sister does something for the country, it inspires not only me but others as well. She is no longer just my sister but the country’s sister as well,” Sunsara said, calling Colonel Qureshi a source of inspiration.
“It is a matter of pride that our Prime Minister always stands in the front and gives assurance to the people of the country that he is always with us. Today, PM Modi’s roadshow was attended by a large number of women…Under the leadership of PM Modi, such a big operation was carried out. The press briefing of Operation Sindoor was done by two women, my sister, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. This was a message to the world that women are not less than anyone,” she added.
Echoing her sentiments, Colonel Qureshi’s brother, Sanjay Qureshi, also shared his thoughts on the significance of Operation Sindoor. “It was a great moment when PM Modi came here. We got to see him for the first time. Through gestures, he greeted us. I thank our defence forces and the government of India, which gave this chance to my sister. A woman taking revenge for the women who suffered so much – what can be better than this?” he remarked.
After attending PM Modi’s roadshow in Vadodara, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi’s mother, Halima Qureshi, said Sofiya is the daughter of the whole country. “…We welcomed him with flowers… It is a very good thing that everyone is welcoming him together. He is the Prime Minister of our country, so he should be welcomed. Sofiya is not only our daughter but the daughter of our country, and whatever she has done is very good and we should take it forward,” she said.
Who is Colonel Sophia Qureshi?
Colonel Sophia Qureshi hails from Gujarat and comes from a family with a strong military background. She is an officer from the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals. Her grandfather served in the Indian Army, and her father also spent a few years in service as a religious teacher. Growing up in such an environment, she was closely familiar with Army life from an early age.
Commissioned into the Indian Army through the Officers Training Academy in 1999, Colonel Qureshi has held various assignments across the country, including postings in counter-insurgency zones with signal regiments. Her decision to join the armed forces was influenced by her great-grandfather and other relatives who had also served in the military, including in the British Army.
In 2016, Colonel Qureshi made history by becoming the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army training contingent at the ASEAN Plus multinational field training exercise, Force 18. Notably, she was also the only female contingent commander among all participating nations.
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