Colonel Sofia Qureshi’s Inspiring Love Story and Family Life: Meet Her Husband, Tajuddin Bagevadi
Colonel Sofia Qureshi’s Inspiring Love Story and Family Life: Meet Her Husband, Tajuddin Bagevadi
India’s first woman officer to lead an all-male international military contingent, Colonel Sofia Qureshi is not only a hero in uniform but also leads a heartwarming family life rooted in love and service.
Colonel Sofia Qureshi, the face of India’s Operation Sindoor, has earned admiration nationwide for her exemplary leadership and trailblazing military career. But beyond her uniform and press briefings lies a deeply inspiring personal story, one of love, legacy, and patriotism.
Sofia’s husband, Colonel Tajuddin Bagevadi, is also a dedicated officer in the Mechanized Infantry of the Indian Army. Hailing from Kannur village in Gokak, Belgaum, Tajuddin and Sofia’s bond began with love and was sealed in marriage in 2005. Both continue to serve the country—Sofia currently posted in Jammu and her husband in Jhansi balancing duty and family with grace and strength.
Their union reflects not just mutual respect but a shared commitment to India. The couple’s two children are already inspired by this legacy. Their 18-year-old son, Sameer Qureshi, is preparing to join the Air Force, carrying forward the family’s patriotic thread. Their daughter, Hanima, also dreams of joining the armed forces, inspired by her parents’ example.
Sofia comes from a long line of servicemen and women. Her father, Taj Mohammad Qureshi, was a Subedar in the Border Security Force (BSF) and fought in the 1971 war. He was also an electronics and mechanical engineer. Two of her uncles, Ismail Qureshi and Wali Mohammad Qureshi, served as subedars in the BSF. Most remarkably, Sofia once shared in a 2017 interview that her maternal grandmother fought alongside Rani Laxmibai in the 1857 Rebellion, a legacy of courage that runs deep in her veins.
Academically gifted as well, Sofia earned her master’s degree in biochemistry from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, in 1997, and was pursuing a PhD when she answered the call to serve. She joined the Indian Army in 1999, rising through the ranks to become a Colonel, and later led India’s international contingent during the 2016 peacekeeping mission in the UN Exercise in Russia—becoming the first woman officer in India to do so.
Today, Colonel Sofia Qureshi stands as a powerful symbol of modern womanhood balancing love, motherhood, and leadership in one of the world’s most challenging professions. Her story continues to inspire a new generation of Indians, proving that courage and compassion can walk hand in hand.
