Was told you will own sky one day: Wing Commander who led Op Sindoor briefing
She said the encouragement she received at a young age became the foundation of her career in the Indian Air Force. The officer, a decorated helicopter pilot, is one of the few women to represent the Indian Armed Forces in a high-level joint interaction such as the Operation Sindoor briefing - which was held after 26 civilians were killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22.The briefing, jointly addressed by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Colonel Sophia Qureshi of the Indian Army, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, marked a rare occasion where two senior women officers represented the armed forces at such a significant level.The Ministry of Defence said the operation targeted nine terror-linked sites and was executed jointly by the Army, Navy, and Air Force.Speaking at the summit, Wing Commander Singh encouraged young Indian Air Force aspirants to be fearless and focused. "Be fearless. Believe in yourself, you will be able to achieve whatever you think. Believe in your thoughts, believe in your capabilities. Yes, you will need to build them up. Make a roadmap, have a dream. I think you should write it down, make timelines. The Indian Armed Forces is a family which gives you ample opportunity with open hands to become whatever you want to."Colonel Akriti Sharma, commanding officer in the Indian Army and the first woman to hold such a post, reflected on her journey from Jammu and Kashmir."Coming from J&K, the journey to becoming a commanding officer in the Indian Army has its own pluses and minuses. I learnt that leadership in the armed forces is not defined by comfort but by presence during adversity."advertisementWhen asked to respond to the latest statistics showing that women make up 13.69 per cent of officers in the Indian Air Force, 3.97 per cent in the Army, and 6% in the Navy - even as avenues like girls' admission to Sainik Schools are being opened - Colonel Sharma said the defence landscape is changing rapidly."The narrative has changed now. From what ifs, it has changed to yes I can. It is a matter of time when this number is going to change. The Army is on path of transformation. Earlier, the narrative was that women can only join, but now women can lead and command as well."Colonel Akriti offered a word of advice to young aspirants: "Be courageous and confident. Choose courage over comfort. Dreams don't come with expiry dates, but they do demand commitment. Be strong enough to face the world and know your potential because at the end, you owe a duty to your country."- EndsTrending Reel
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Last Updated: Silenced for decades, now heard by the nation, India's boldest narrative shift in Kashmir's post-independence For over three decades, Kashmir was not a voice—it was a narrative, hijacked and manipulated by Pakistan's propaganda machinery. The pain of this land was never Pakistan's concern; it was a tool, a weapon, a theatre script for international forums. While Islamabad paraded selective tragedies before the world, the actual victims—those who stood by India, whose families were shattered by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism—were pushed into oblivion. No one asked: Who mourned these loyal sons and daughters of Bharat? Who stood by the mothers who lost not one but four children because they refused to feed terrorists? These families were not statistics—they were testaments of courage. And yet, they were forgotten. Until now. This past month in Jammu & Kashmir, something extraordinary happened. Something that doesn't often make headlines in the noise of national politics but should dominate the conscience of a nation. For the first time in independent India's history, families of terror victims—those killed for their loyalty to the Indian State—were brought to the front stage of justice, remembrance, and restitution. In Anantnag and later in Baramulla, scores of families who had been living in the shadows of memory—women who lost husbands, children who never met their fathers, parents who buried sons—were called forth not to be consoled, but to be recognised. Forty of these families, many of whom had never stepped into a government building with hope, were given job orders, legal protection, and public honour. But what they received most profoundly was a return of moral dignity—a currency long denied to them by both state apathy and societal betrayal. The picture of change has existed for some time now, but there has been a spotlight on it emanating from the Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha. He has provided a different narrative to governance in Kashmir. In an atmosphere characterized by soft separatism and bureaucratic inaction, Sinha's administration has done something ethically sound. It has provided state recognition for those who embraced India, and not only embraced, but stood with India in Kashmir state action, which is deserving of state acclamation. Sinha's actions change the Kashmiri narrative and the narrative of integration to India. What truly struck me is the scene of people from Baramulla. It is the picture of change, and His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor was the subject. His leadership is what incites tears and affection from a large population. The leadership from Delhi coming to listen is what drives emotion. Kissed his forehead. Hugged him. These actions portray love unprecedented to the LG. He did not come to issue state security directives which has been the hub of concern in the past, but to engage with the people and deliver answers that are long overdue. This stands as an example of individual kindness, 'strategic humanitarian intervention" or 'civilian-national reconstruction". Pakistan has pursued an expansive information warfare policy against India, using Kashmir as the primary theatre. Not only has it crossed the threshold of violence by sending gunmen, it has sought to justify such actions through narratives of unending oppression. It has deployed narratives of oppression where the 'terrorist' is a 'freedom fighter' and a 'patriot' is a 'traitor'. It has never only displaced fighters, but exported a vocabulary of ruthless dismantling of truth. The literally unthinking victims of terrorism were absented. This new initiative reconstructs the narratives of Kashmir by placing these treated, forgotten families at the center of the conversation. The initiative has literally and practically changed the paradigm. It allows the victims of human rights to truly speak of their reality witnessed in Kashmir, not the militants but the genuine martyrs, who didn't take up arms even at the cost of their lives. Let us remember: many of these victims were killed not in crossfire, but in cold blood, for refusing to feed a terrorist, for waving a flag, for refusing to shelter a terrorist. Some entire families were wiped out. And for years, successive governments turned their eyes away, fearing political backlash, fearing it might 'disturb the peace". But how can a peace built on silence ever last? What makes this initiative powerful is not just its emotional resonance but its implications for justice, narrative, and state legitimacy. For the first time, India is not defending itself on Kashmir—it is setting the agenda. It is saying that if the world must speak of Kashmir, it must first listen to the mothers whose sons were murdered for loving India by the Pak-Sponsored terrorism. The symbolism certainly has depth, but the ramifications of policy also matter. When these families received employment, it was more than a job: it was recognition of their participation in the 'national project.' Likewise, when LG Manoj Sinha interacted with them, he was not merely meeting constituents, instead, he was in some way, healing a long-standing wound in the conscience of the country. These families were mocked and ignored by the political elite, and the shift in ideological thinking is staggering. Kashmir is a region once ruled by a political elite. Many of them infrequently visited these families, and some even scorned them. Some leaders even referred to the victims of terror as 'collateral" and equated slain terrorists to fallen soldiers. While some might call that mockery, it goes far beyond that; not only is it offensive, but it is also profoundly dehumanizing. This administration has corrected that language with action. This also has effects on international relations. India no longer needs to struggle on international platforms. India need not shout on world stages anymore. Let these mothers and widows speak. Let the woman from North Kashmir who lost four family members for refusing food to a terrorist cell, tell her story. Let the children orphaned in 1996, now grown into quiet young men, narrate how society shunned them as 'informers". These tales counter any document India submitted to the United Nations and so as the women and children provided them, their truths would be bombastic than any document India submitted to the United Nations. 'It cannot be denied that when the truth finally comes out, the noise will be powerful indeed, way more than so-called propaganda." There is also a spiritual dimension to all of this. This wasn't just governance. It was atonement. A political system that had failed a generation, today bows its head and says: We hear you. We believe you. You matter. That is not just reform. It is resurrection. This initiative is not the end—it is the beginning of a new Indian imagination in Kashmir. One where every tear matters, every loyalty is honoured, and every silence is broken with justice. As this movement spreads from Anantnag to Baramulla and beyond, one thing becomes clear: this isn't just about healing the wounds of yesterday. It is about building a new architecture of trust for tomorrow. The bullet ends a life. But justice restores a future. And for once, that future belongs to the side that bled quietly—and waited for India to remember. Mudasir Dar is a social and peace activist based in South Kashmir. He is a Rashtrapati Award recipient in world scouting and has contributed to many local and national publications on a diverse range of topics, including national security, politics, governance, peace, and conflict. He tweets from @DarMudasir10. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. view comments Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India First Published: August 03, 2025, 13:18 IST News opinion Opinion: The Forgotten Loyalists Of Kashmir Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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