sofia quraishi cornel and biography

 Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is a renowned officer in the Indian Army Corps of Signals, best known for her trailblazing work in military communications, cyber defense, and peacekeeping. Born on April 18, 1972, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, she comes from a family with a rich military tradition. Her father, Mohammad Qureshi, is a civil engineer, while her mother, Amina Qureshi, is a professor of mathematics. She attended Loreto Convent in Lucknow for her schooling and graduated with a Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 1993.

 Mil​​itary Career & Leadership Landmarks

Commissioned in 1994: Sofiya Qureshi was commissioned in the Army Signal Corps and started her career in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and North-East India.

UN Peacekeeping Mission (2016–2017): In 2016, she commanded more than 500 Indian soldiers in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the first woman to command an all-male Indian peacekeeping contingent. Her contingent enforced peace in troubled areas, carried out disarmament operations, and delivered humanitarian assistance.

Cyber Defense Command (2017–2022): Commissioned Brigadier and Deputy Director-General of India's Cyber Defence Command, she was instrumental in shaping India's military cyber doctrine, creating cyber training ranges, and spearheading threat detection operations.

Promotion to Major General (2022): She rose to the rank of Major General and led the Strategic Communications Division, which oversaw the coordination of electronic warfare and cyber operations.

2025 India–Pakistan War: In the 2025 war, she commanded a cyber-integrated rapid response team on the western front, protecting military communications and fending off cyber-attacks on strategic networks.

Awards & Recognition

Sena Medal (2025): Received for her outstanding service in the 2025 India–Pakistan war.

Vishisht Seva Medal (2019): Awarded for distinguished service with the Indian Army.

UN Peacekeeping Medal (2017): Awarded for leadership in UN peacekeeping operations.

COAS ommendation (2010): Awarded for her invaluable contributions to the Indian Army.

GOC-in-C Eastern Command Commendation (2003): Awarded for her superior performance within the Eastern Command.

 Technological Contributions & Doctrine Development

Digital Army Initiatives: Directed the creation of the first mobile digital communication network of the Army in 2001 and initiated modernization at the Signal Intelligence Wing, Army HQ.

Cyber Doctrine Formulation: Written cyber doctrine articles and tutored at College of Defence Management and Military College of Telecommunication Engineering and formulated the country's military cyber approach. 

Personal Life & Advocacy

Colonel Qureshi is married to Dr. Vikram Singh, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, and they have one daughter. Fluent in Hindi, English, Urdu, and French, she enjoys mountaineering and has summited Stok Kangri (6,153 m). An advocate for women's roles in combat and strategic leadership, she has influenced policy changes, including the Supreme Court's decision to open the National Defence Academy to women.

Legacy & Impact

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi represents changing times for Indian women in the military, dispelling gender limitations and setting standards in leadership as well as innovative technology. Beyond strengthening India's defense, she has opened up the armed forces to increased gender integration.


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