Chicago – August 13, 2025
In today’s news we will discuss three Muslim girls who put India’s flag on the map once again. These Muslim ladies include Dr. Bushra Ateeq, Nigar Shaji and Colonel Sofia Qureshi.
Dr. Bushra Ateeq is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences & Bioengineering at IIT Kanpur and a Senior Fellow of the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance . Her research focuses on unraveling the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms behind cancer progression—especially in prostate and breast cancers—with the aim of identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets .
She earned her PhD from Aligarh Muslim University in 2003 and has held postdoctoral positions in renowned institutions such as McGill University and the University of Michigan before joining IIT Kanpur in 2013.
Nigar Shaji is a prominent Indian space scientist who served as the Project Director of Aditya-L1, India’s first solar mission.
Joining ISRO in 1987, she began at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sriharikota) and later moved to the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru . She has steadily risen through the ranks—from spacecraft test engineer to head of telemetry divisions and associate project director of Resourcesat-2A, a key remote sensing satellite mission.
Nigar Shaji led the Aditya-L1 mission, India’s maiden space-based solar observatory. Launched on 2 September 2023 aboard PSLV-C57, the spacecraft is placed at the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), where it studies solar phenomena continuously.
Colonel Sofia Qureshi was highlighted in May 2025, following the terror attack in Pahalgam, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK. Colonel Qureshi co-led the official press briefing, alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Her presence was both operationally authoritative and symbolically significant.
She delivered the briefing in Hindi, while Wing Commander Singh followed with English, showcasing a poised, bilingual communication.
As a Muslim woman officer, her role in the briefing broke stereotypes, highlighting the Indian Army’s inclusivity and her leadership encouraged aspiring women and minority candidates.
