Two Women, One Photo, and Sania Mirza’s Message That’s Stirring the Nation

Former tennis player Sania Mirza praised the powerful presence of two women officers—Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—who accompanied Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the official briefing of Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory missile attack on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Their presence highlighted not only military accuracy but also symbolic national solidarity and advancement.

Sania, one of India’s finest athletes and a six-time Grand Slam winner, posted an article by reporter Faye D’Souza on social media. D’Souza explained, “The messaging in this very powerful photo perfectly captures who we are as a nation.” Sania Mirza retweeted it, giving her seal of approval to the diverse picture presented during the briefing—two women officers belonging to different religions standing together as leaders at the time of an important national juncture.

Operation Sindoor: Tactical and Symbolic Realignment

During the press conference in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri labeled the missile attacks a “measured and proportionate” reply to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which took the lives of 26 people, including that of a Nepali citizen. The attacks, as per sources in the military, were conducted using ground- and air-based missiles, attacking nine identified terror sites.

Colonel Qureshi emphasized the strategic shift in India’s response, “For the last three decades, Pakistan has been constructing terror infrastructure, including recruitment centres, training areas, and launch pads across PoJK and Pakistan. This operation was intended to dismantle those facilities and prevent future attacks.”

Targets were Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Rawalakot, Bahawalpur, and Bhimber—areas long associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Of the nine targeted locations, five were in PoJK and four within Pakistan, signaling a far-flung operation. More than 70 terrorists were said to have been killed, with another 60 injured.

A Nation Responds and Reflects

The scene of Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh standing alongside the Foreign Secretary as part of the major national security briefing was in itself a jolt to people and public persons alike. Sania Mirza’s gesture towards highlighting this touch of diversity, unity, and women’s empowerment rang loudly and strongly, especially at a time of national tragedy and strategic expression.

India’s response to terror has not been just missiles and strategy—it has also conveyed a larger message of who governs and represents the nation at times when it counts the most.