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Meet The First Woman Officer To Lead An Indian Army Contingent

Image Source : Twitter

In 2016, Lt Col Sophia Qureshi (the officer would have now been promoted) made the nation proud by becoming the first woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multi-national military exercise. Called ‘Exercise 18’, it was the largest ever foreign military exercise hosted by India, and Lt Col Qureshi was the only woman leader amongst the 18 participating contingents.

Lt Col Qureshi has a degree in biochemistry and has served in United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006. She is married to an Army officer from Mechanised Infantry, and her grandfather too served in the Army. Talking about the Army’s role in peacekeeping missions, she had told a portal, “On these missions, we monitor the ceasefires in those countries and also aid in the humanitarian activities. The job is to ensure peace in the conflict-affected areas.”

Goes without saying, it was a “proud moment” and she asked women in the armed forces to “work hard for the country and make everyone proud.” Talking about Lt Col Qureshi’s achievement, the then Army Commander of Southern Command Lt Gen Bipin Rawat told a portal, “In the Army, we believe in equal opportunity and equal responsibility. In the Army, there is no difference between male and female officers. She has been picked not because she is a woman but as she has the abilities and leadership qualities to shoulder the responsibility.”

  Source : Femina  

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