New Delhi:
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force, led a media briefing on Operation Sindoor after India’s recent strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people.
Joining Wing Commander Singh were Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who provided further details on the operation. The pre-dawn strikes were a coordinated effort between the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Who is Wing Commander Vyomika Singh?
- Vyomika Singh joined the National Cadet Corps (NCC) as part of her early preparation for a career in the armed forces. She pursued engineering and later became the first person in her family to join the armed forces.
- On December 18, 2019, she was commissioned as a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and received a permanent commission in the flying branch. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh has logged over 2,500 flying hours.
- She has operated helicopters such as the Chetak and Cheetah in some of India’s most challenging terrains, including high-altitude areas like Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.
- Wing Commander Singh has been a part of numerous rescue missions. In November 2020, she led a critical rescue operation in Arunachal Pradesh, where she flew in high-altitude, tough weather conditions to evacuate civilians. The mission required expert flying skills in remote areas where air support was crucial for saving lives.
- In 2021, Wing Commander Singh participated in a tri-services all-women mountaineering expedition to Mt Manirang, standing at 21,650 feet. The expedition was recognised by senior defence officials, including the Chief of Air Staff, for the endurance shown by the team.
Operation Sindoor, launched by India early on Wednesday morning, was a precision air and artillery strike aimed at dismantling terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The operation targeted nine terror launchpads, which Indian intelligence said were being used by terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, to plan cross-border attacks. At least 70 terrorists were reportedly killed in 24 missile strikes.