Meer Sehrish from Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir has brought pride to the Union Territory by clearing the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) examination and securing a place among the only 24 girls selected across India.
Her achievement is being hailed as a major milestone for the region and an inspiration for young girls aspiring to join the armed forces. Residents, teachers and local officials congratulated Meer Sehrish for her dedication and hard work in cracking one of the country’s most competitive defence entrance examinations.
The NDA examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is the gateway for entry into the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Since the inclusion of women candidates in NDA, the competition among aspirants has remained extremely high.
Meer Sehrish’s success highlights the growing participation of girls from Jammu & Kashmir in national-level competitive examinations and defence services. People across Kupwara expressed hope that her accomplishment would motivate more students, especially from remote areas, to pursue careers in the armed forces.
Her selection is also being viewed as a positive sign of changing aspirations among the youth in Kashmir, where students are increasingly excelling in academics, sports and national competitive platforms.
source: http://www.kashmirahead.com / Kashmir Ahead / Home / by News Desk Kashmir Ahead / May 09th, 2026
Army personnel handing over the tricolour to the wife of Hawaldar Althaf Ahmed, who died in Kashmir on February 22. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Althaf Ahmed | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The last rites of 37-year-old Indian Army Hawildar Althaf Ahmed, who died in a blizzard while on duty in Kashmir, were performed in his native in Meenupete in Kodagu district’s Virajpet taluk with state honours on Saturday.
The body of Althaf Ahmed, who had died on February 22, arrived in his native in Kodagu early on Saturday as its departure by air from Srinagar was delayed owing to bad weather. The body was kept at Eidgah Maidan in Meenupete for the public to pay their last respects before it was laid to rest at the burial ground as per Islamic rituals.
Virajpet MLA K.G. Bopaiah, MLCs Suja Kushalappa and Veena Achaiah, besides Deputy Commissioner B.C. Satish, Kodagu Superintendent of Police M.A. Aiyappa and other senior officials of the district administration were among the large number of people, who paid their last respects.
According to sources, Althaf Ahmed grew up in Meenupete and completed his SSLC in St Anne’s School in Virajpet and Pre University Education at the Virajpet Government Junior College. He later joined the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) regiment. He had been serving the Army in various places since the last 19 years.
While guarding the border in Kashmir, Althaf Ahmed was caught in a blizzard on February 22 and died.
After the ceremonial gun salute during the funeral of the martyred solider, Army personnel handed over handed over the tricolour that draped Althaf Ahmed’s body and his uniform to his wife and two children. He leaves behind his mother, wife, a son and a daughter.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 26th, 2022
Col. Sofiya Qureshi’s briefing the media during Operation Sindoor surprised the world, for not only an Indian woman but also one from the Muslim community, was briefing the media in the utmost professional manner, befitting an Indian Army Officer. Forget about the world; even many Indians could not believe that the Indian Army had women officers. The fact is that Muslim women have been part of the armed forces and technical workforce for many years.
Awaz-the Voice is bringing you ten stories of such women to inspire the younger generation:
Ajeetha BegumSulthan stands as a compelling example of determination, discipline, and empathy in policing. Rising from a modest background in Coimbatore to become the Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch) in Kerala, she has built a reputation for tackling complex issues ranging from trafficking and drug networks to crimes against women and children. Known for her simplicity and strong sense of duty, Ajeetha believes that a police officer “cannot afford to go wrong,” a principle that has guided her through challenging postings and high-profile investigations.
Her journey reflects not only professional excellence but also a deep commitment to social responsibility and mentoring the next generation through initiatives like the State Police Cadet programme.
Anisa Nabi represents a rare blend of administrative commitment and athletic passion in Jammu and Kashmir. A 2012-batch JKAS officer and currently the Chief Sports Officer at the J&K Sports Council, she has consistently worked to promote sports, fitness, and youth engagement while building an impressive record as a runner who has completed major races like the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon and the Tata Mumbai Marathon.
Through her initiative “Wondrous Women,” Anisa encourages women to embrace fitness and mental well-being, while her work in government—from GST awareness to grassroots livelihood programmes—reflects a strong commitment to empowering communities. By promoting sports as a positive pathway for youth, she continues to inspire many to lead healthier and more purposeful lives.
Ishrat Ahmed, hailing from the village of Nuaan in Rajasthan, embodies a remarkable legacy of service, discipline, and patriotism. Commissioned into the Indian Army in 2001, she has risen through the ranks to command an Ordnance Unit in Meerut, becoming the first woman from the Qaimkhani community to hold such a significant role. Coming from a distinguished family of military and civil service officers, Colonel Ishrat’s journey reflects both inherited values and personal determination.
Beyond her achievements in uniform, she continues to inspire young people—especially girls from rural backgrounds—to pursue careers in the armed forces and public service, making her story one of courage, leadership, and lasting inspiration.
Bushra Bano’s journey from a small village in Kannauj to the ranks of the Indian Police Service is a story of resilience, faith, and unwavering determination. A scholar who completed her PhD at Aligarh Muslim University, Bushra balanced motherhood, professional responsibilities, and intense preparation for the civil services examination.
Remarkably, she appeared for her UPSC interview while eight months pregnant and eventually secured a place in the IPS, serving in the West Bengal cadre. Her journey—from lecturer and corporate employee to SDM and now a police officer—stands as an inspiring example for young women, proving that determination, family support, and education can turn even the most challenging circumstances into milestones of success.
Hana Qureshi has emerged as a leading voice in infertility treatment at the Cradle Fertility Centre in Kolkata, where she serves as the Centre-in-Charge of its Garia branch. Specialising in IVF procedures and advanced reproductive diagnostics, she combines cutting-edge medical science with compassionate patient care to help couples realise their dream of parenthood. Honoured with the ISAR Youth Icon Award in 2024, Dr Qureshi believes that discipline, perseverance, and continuous learning are key to success.
Through her patient-centred approach and commitment to innovation, she has become a trusted figure offering renewed hope to families facing infertility challenges.
Reshma Niloufer Naha has made maritime history by becoming the world’s first woman river pilot at Kolkata Port Trust in Kolkata. Trained at the Academy of Maritime Education and Training, she spent years sailing across the world before undergoing rigorous pilot training and earning her position in 2018.
Guiding massive ships through narrow and challenging river channels demands exceptional skill, physical strength, and quick decision-making—qualities that Reshma has demonstrated consistently. Honoured with the Nari Shakti Puraskar, her journey stands as a powerful symbol of perseverance and women’s empowerment, inspiring young women to pursue careers even in the most challenging and traditionally male-dominated fields.
Sara Rizvi, a 2008-batch officer of the Indian Police Service from the Gujarat cadre, has built a distinguished career marked by resilience and dedication to public service. Currently serving as Deputy Inspector General of the Udhampur–Reasi range in Jammu and Kashmir on inter-cadre deputation, she is the only woman officer in the region to hold the DIG/IG rank.
From overcoming early financial struggles and personal loss to handling critical assignments such as elections, intelligence operations, and security challenges, Rizvi has consistently demonstrated leadership and commitment. Her journey—from a determined civil services aspirant in Mumbai to a senior police officer serving in sensitive regions—stands as a powerful testament to perseverance, courage, and a deep sense of social responsibility.
Col Sofiya Qureshi has emerged as a powerful symbol of perseverance and merit in the Indian Army, challenging long-standing stereotypes about gender and identity in the armed forces. Rising through the ranks with discipline and professionalism, she has taken on demanding leadership and operational responsibilities, demonstrating that capability—not background or gender—defines a soldier’s worth.
Through her quiet determination and consistent excellence, Sofiya has inspired many young women to envision a future in uniform, proving that dedication to service and nation can break barriers and reshape perceptions.
Tuba Sanobar, a young lawyer from Seoni now based in Bengaluru, is emerging as a powerful voice for civil rights, women’s empowerment, and data privacy. With an LLM in Criminology from Osmania University, she blends legal expertise with grassroots activism, working closely with the Association for Protection of Civil Rights to raise awareness about domestic violence and minority rights.
Through initiatives like the SOZ programme and her advocacy on digital privacy and community participation, Tuba represents a new generation of lawyers who see the law not merely as a profession but as a tool for social change and dignity.
Hana Mohsin Khan has carved an inspiring path in aviation, proving that determination can overcome social labels and late beginnings. Born in Meerut and educated partly in Saudi Arabia, Hana’s journey to the cockpit was anything but conventional—moving from journalism and entrepreneurship to pursuing aviation after discovering her passion later in life.
After rigorous training in the United States and Greece, she eventually flew her first commercial flight in 2020, becoming one of the few Muslim women pilots in India.
Her story reflects resilience, curiosity, and a refusal to be confined by stereotypes, inspiring young women to pursue their ambitions with confidence and courage.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by ATV / posted by Aasha Khosa / March 12th, 2026
Maj Gen SM Hasnain’s contributions to the Indian Army, including his leadership of the 4 Garhwal Rifles, were remembered with reverence.
Tributes being paid to Maj Gen Syed Mahdi Hasnain on Sunday. (HT)
A solemn remembrance and memorial service was conducted at Prayagraj Military station to honour the legacy of Maj Gen Syed Mahdi Hasnain here on Sunday. The service paid tribute to his distinguished military career and unwavering commitment to duty.
Maj Gen SM Hasnain’s contributions to the Indian Army, including his leadership of the 4 Garhwal Rifles, were remembered with reverence, said Group Captain Samir Gangakhedkar, public relations officer (defence), Prayagraj region.
The speakers reflected on his valour during WW-II and his role in safeguarding refugees during the Partition. In his sterling military career Maj Gen SM Hasnain commanded a Mountain and an Infantry Brigade, an illustrations Mountain Division and was the first Inspector of Infantry at Army Headquarters. The service served as a reminder of Maj Gen SM Hasnain’s enduring impact on the nation, the Indian Army and Prayagraj town where he lived his post service life, he added.
Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani presided over the function as the Colonel of the Regiment of the Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts and paid his tributes to the legend.
Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, son of Maj Gen SM Hasnain, also served the Indian Army in his father’s regiment and went on to command the prestigious 15 Corps. Presently, he continues his service to the nation as member of the National Disaster Management Authority.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home / by HT Correspondent, Prayagraj / February 26th, 2024
Lt. General (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain has been appointed to one of the country’s key constitutional positions, bringing with him decades of military leadership and public service.
Lieutenant General (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain in Srinagar. File | Photo Credit: Nissar Ahmad
Lt. General (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain has been named the Governor of Bihar on Thursday (May 5, 2026) as part of major gubernatorial appointments effected by President Droupadi Murmu.
Mr. Hasnain succeeds Arif Mohammed Khan, who took oath as Bihar Governor on January 2, 2025.
A decorated former officer of the Indian Army, he has been appointed to one of the country’s key constitutional positions, bringing with him decades of military leadership and public service.
Early life
Born into a military family, Mr. Hasnain did his schooling at Sherwood College in Nainital and later attended St Stephen’s College, Delhi. King’s College, University of London. He also studied in the Royal College of Defence Studies, King’s College London, and the Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies, Hawaii.
Hasnain’s military career
Mr. Hasnain was commissioned into the 4th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles in 1974 after graduating from the Indian Military Academy. Over nearly four decades of service, he went on to hold several key command and staff appointments, many of them in Jammu and Kashmir.
He served in a range of critical assignments from Sri Lanka to Siachen Glacier, from the North East to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), and in U.N. operations from Mozambique to Rwanda.
Gen. Hasnain commanded the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, one of the Army’s most critical formations responsible for operations in the Kashmir Valley. He also led the 21 Corps, a major strike formation of the Indian Army.
His final posting before retirement was as Military Secretary of the Indian Army, a crucial position responsible for overseeing senior officer appointments and administrative functions within the force.
Hasnain’s role after retirement
After retiring from the Indian Army in July 2013 following 40 years of active service, Mr. Hasnain continued to contribute to public life through academic and institutional roles.
He writes on Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, the West Asia, and transnational extremist violence and speaks on national security at various military, civil services and corporate institutions.
In 2015, he was nominated as a Member of the Executive Council of the Prime Minister’s Library and Museum, one of the country’s key institutions preserving modern Indian history.
On July 13, 2018, the President of India appointed him Chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir.
He has been awarded six decorations by the President of India and two by the Army chief.
He currently serves a member of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by The Hindu Bureau / March 06th, 2026
Major Maroof Raza (retd), a respected voice in India’s strategic circles, passed away today, February 27, following a prolonged battle with cancer.
Major Raza, 67, who breathed his last in Gurugram, was an Army officer with ground experience in tackling counter insurgency in the north-east. After leaving the Army, he blossomed as a military historian, a respected strategic affairs commentator and authored several books on Pakistan and China.
Known for his analytical mind he connected the gap between military doctrine and public understanding of military jargon. His work was a ‘bridge’ between academia and the rugged realities of the battlefield. “Maroof had great confidence and oratory skills, the transition towards being a strategic commentator was natural for him,” says Maj Gen Jagatbir Singh (retd), a long-standing friend of Major Raza.
Born into a military family — his father was Brigadier MM Raza from the Grenadiers regiment. Schooled at Mayo College, Ajmer, Major Raza graduated in history honors from the St Stephen’s College, New Delhi.
He joined the Army and was commissioned into the 6th battalion of the Grenadiers regiment and later the battalion was converted into 14 Mechanized Infantry. In his early days, he had extensive involvement in counter-insurgency (CI) operations, in the north -east. He later served as instructor at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, from where had passed out in December 1980.
Major Raza resigned from his commission to pursue a career in strategic studies and media and did his Master’s in War Studies from King’s College, London, and did an MPhil in International Relations from Cambridge University.
Around the same time 24×7 news channels were holding daily shows in the evening and Raza became a household name providing the “soldier’s perspective” on national security issues. His ability to explain the nuances of the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China was his forte.
His major published books include: Low Intensity Conflicts (1995); Wars and No Peace Over Kashmir (1996); Kashmir’s Untold Story: Declassified (2019); Contested Lands: India, China and the Boundary Dispute (2021).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Maroof Raza made a rich contribution to the world of journalism. He enriched public discourse with his nuanced understanding of defense, national security as well as strategic affairs. Pained by his passing.
source: http://www.theindianpanorama.news / The Indian Panorama / Home> United Nations / February 27th, 2026
If you thought that the marching of an all-women tri-services contingent in the Republic Day Parade was just a show-off, you need to know about two women in the Indian Army to realise how women are not only joining the Military but also get the toughest assignments by being posted on treachrous terrains and hostile borders of India.
Captain Saria Abbasi and Captain Fatima Wasim are two women army officers whose names surfaced on social media. Abbasi is posted on the post on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) the contentious working boundary with China and Fatima Wasim on a post in Siachen, the world’s highest and coldest battlefield along Pakistan.
Captain Saria Abbasi’s picture surfaced on social media after a visit of the media team to the Tawang border where India had deployed its latest acquisition anti-aircraft gun L70.
Capt Saria Abbasi on duty
Capt. Saria Abbasi briefed the media on the merits of the L-70 anti-aircraft gun with its deployment, which can target all types of unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, and drones.
Capt Abbasi hails from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, and had dreamt of wearing the Army uniform as a child.
This one video and some pictures caught the attention of the entire country as people were awed by a woman in that role and the gender parity in the Indian army.
Abbasi’s unit is one of the first AD regiments in the country, equipped with 70 guns. India has deployed anti-aircraft guns L70 in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, amid ongoing tensions on the Indo-China border in eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
Saria Abbasi’s father Dr. Tehseen Abbasi is associated with All India Radio, and her mother Rehana Shamim is a junior high school teacher.
The second woman whose image also captured the imagination of the country’s men is Captain Fatima Wasim of the Siachen Warriors. She created history by becoming the first woman medical officer to be deployed to an operational post on the Siachen Glacier.
Capt Fatima Wasim at Siachen
Her posting was proclaimed by the Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps in a post on X.
“She (Captain Fatima Wasim) was inducted to a post at an altitude of 15,200 feet after undergoing rigorous training at Siachen Battle School, which speaks of her indomitable spirit and high motivation,” Fire and Fury Corps posted on X.
The Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps also uploaded a video in the post to further highlight Captain Fatima Wasim’s achievement and celebrate it.
"NATION FIRST"🇮🇳
Capt Fatima Wasim of #SiachenWarriors creates history by becoming the First Woman Medical Officer to be deployed on an operational post on the Siachen Glacier. She was inducted to a post at an altitude of 15200 feet after undergoing rigorous training at… pic.twitter.com/u5EovNNu1Y
Earlier this month, Captain Geetika Koul from the Snow Leopard Brigade became the first woman medical officer of the Indian Army to be deployed at the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen, after completing the induction training at Siachen Battle School.
Siachen Glacier is known as the highest-altitude battle site in the world and is situated near the Indo-Pak Line of Control.
It is the largest glacier in India and the second-largest in the world. It is the highest battleground on earth.
Back to Saria Abbasi’s story: she is a graduate of Genetic Engineering and joined the army four years ago. She said she had no interest in engineering and was always dreaming of becoming an army officer as some of her relatives were. She was attracted to donning the olive green after listening to the stories of valour from her ‘fauji’ relatives.
Capt Abbasi with L70 Gun (released by Army)
She rejected all the job offers from big companies and focused on clearing the Combined Defence Service (CDS) competitive examination conducted by the UPSC for taking in officers for the Military.
There were only 12 seats for women and Saria cleared her examination in her second attempt. After passing the ongoing interviews held over several tours, she was selected for the training that is considered to be the toughest of all.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by ATV / posted by Aasha Khosa / January 30th, 2024
