– M Rafi Ahmed
All eyes were on Colonel Sofiya Qureshi soon after the Operation Sindoor – the response to the Pahalgam terror attack which marked a milestone in India’s journey towards technological self-reliance in military operations. In fact, she captured global attention for her heroic act in taking a lead in the Operation Sindoor that gave rise to Atmanirbhar Innovation in National Security.
Noteworthy to mention that the Sindoor Yatra organised a couple of days ago by Sofiya Qureshi’s sister in Vadodara led by women from various walks of life, the event rich in emotion and patriotism, was attended by a large number of women who marched in solidarity to honour the sacrifices of Indian soldiers. This only proves the patriotism of Sofiya Qureshi’s family.
Col Sofiya’s father Taj Mohamed Qureshi is reported to have said that his family is concerned only about the country. “I am proud of my daughter. My family has always followed the principle of ‘Vayam Rastre Jagrayam’ (We will keep the nation awake and alive). We are Indian first, and Muslim afterwards. Those are the golden words from a true Indian and a patriot. Endorsing similar views, Sofiya’s mother Halima Qureshi remarked, “We are very happy about what our daughter has done for the nation. I hope this inspires others to educate their daughters, so that they can serve the nation.”
Coming from a family with a strong military tradition, Sofiya with a distinguished military career led the contingent at the ASEAN Plus Multinational Military Exercise in 2016 and participated in UN Peacekeeping Operations. Great to infer that Sofiya who hails from Vadodara in Gujarat obtained her MSc in Biochemistry from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara in 1997.
Thereafter she pursued her PhD but quit only to join the Indian Army in 1999. She trained with the Signals Corps, where she developed expertise in technical and communications systems. These skills would later prove crucial, placing her at the forefront of key military operations. Her involvement was symbolic of both strategic precision since she was gifted with the family’s long-standing tradition of military service to the nation.
It is interesting to infer that her father fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War while her grandfather served in the Indian Army while not to speak of her great grandmother, a woman warrior who served Rani Lakshmi Bai in the 1857 revolt against the British. Moreover, her husband Tajuddin Bagewadi is a Colonel from Konnur village in Gokak taluk in Belagavi district in Karnataka.
Col Tajuddin Bagevadi is an officer in the Mechanized Infantry. Mechanized infantry is a type of infantry that uses vehicles for speed and power on the battlefield. The couple, who married in 2015, are currently serving at different postings: Colonel Qureshi is stationed in Jammu, while Colonel Tajuddin Bagevadi is posted in Jhansi. Col Tajuddin and Sofia Qureshi are blessed with two children – an 18-year-old son named Sameer Qureshi and a daughter named Hanima. According to media reports, Sameer is preparing for the Air Force with the ambition of serving the country. Her daughter also aspires to join the army.
This story is necessitated to bring to the fore the family with a very long military tradition and their patriotism in the wake of Supreme Court directing the Madhya Pradesh DGP to constitute an SIT comprising three senior IPS officers to investigate the comments made by MP Minister Vijay Shah against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who addressed media briefings on Operation Sindoor.
