The Supreme Court highlighted the achievements of women officers, citing Colonel Sofiya Qureshi as an example. Colonel Qureshi, a member of the Army Signal Corps, made history as the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at the "Exercise Force 18," the largest foreign military exercise hosted by India. She had previously served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006, where she was responsible for monitoring ceasefires and supporting humanitarian efforts in conflict zones.

The court noted that the Centre's affidavit detailed the significant contributions of women SSC officers, working alongside their male counterparts for the nation's defense. The court expressed concern over submissions that sought to downplay women's roles based on biological and social factors, stressing that such views were contrary to constitutional values and ignored the excellence demonstrated by women officers in the Indian Army.

At a media briefing, Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force joined Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. This event followed the Indian military's "Operation Sindoor," which targeted terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack on April 22.

Born in 1974 in Vadodara, Gujarat, Colonel Qureshi holds a Master's degree in biochemistry. She has served in critical roles, including as a military observer in Congo and in flood relief efforts in Northeast India. In 2016, she made history as the first woman officer to lead a contingent in Exercise Force 18, a multinational training exercise aimed at fostering peace among ASEAN nations.