Who is Colonel Sofiya Qureshi’s multitalented twin sister? Meet Dr. Shyna Sunsara, President-awarded all-rounder

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi’s recent national appearance during the Operation Sindoorpress briefing earned her instant recognition and massive praise across the nation as the daughter of the nation that the country is proud of. Her calm, commanding presence showed the strength and professionalism of the Indian Army and quickly made her a household name that proudly lay on every citizen's lips.During one of her interviews, she also talked about her military family background and her twin sister, Shyna Sunsara.Among them, one twin commands attention in olive green, the other shines through a kaleidoscope of roles of an economist, environmentalist, national-level shooter, and beauty queen. Together, the Qureshi sisters present a powerful image of women who have not only broken barriers but also redefined what ambition looks like when rooted in service and courage. Born into a proud military family, their lives have been guided by values of duty, determination, and a desire to serve the nation in their own extraordinary ways.If Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is the face of military grit, then Dr. Shyna Sunsara is her equally bold and dynamic counterpart, one who proves that strength doesn’t always come with uniform; sometimes it arrives in heels, gold medals, and green missions.Dr. Shyna Sunsara is not just the twin sister of a decorated Army officer, she’s a force of nature in her own right. An all-rounder, Shyna has carved out a path filled with accolades, service, and innovation.She is a former Army cadet herself and a national-level rifle shooter. Shyna’s list of achievements is as diverse and inspiring. In an interview with Hindustan Times, it was revealed that she had once dreamed of donning the Army uniform alongside her sister. Though their paths diverged, her commitment to excellence never wavered, and she received a gold medal from the President of India in rifle shooting. Apart from that, she also has numerous accolades to her name.She was titled as Ms. Gujarat, followed by Mrs. India Earth 2017, and then Ms. United Nations 2018.She has been an ‘all-rounder’ since childhood. She said during an interview with Radio City that she cut up her mother’s saree to make a dress.In 2018, she received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, not just for her work in fashion and pageantry, but for her green initiative in which she planted one lakh trees across Gujarat. This project not only garnered national praise but also caught international attention for its scale and environmental impact.Despite her fame and multifaceted career, Shyna remains deeply grounded. Watching her twin sister address the nation on live television stirred something profound in her. “It was like watching the spirit of the Rani of Jhansi reborn,” she said, referencing the legacy of courage shared by generations of women in their family, some of whom served in the military as far back as the 1857 uprising, according to the Hindustan Times.Shyna’s life, like her sister's, is driven by purpose. Whether she’s speaking up for the environment, lifting the national rifle, or inspiring young women through fashion and leadership, she continues to prove that heroism comes in many forms.Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is a trailblazer in the Indian Army, known for making history in 2016 as the first Indian woman officer to lead a multinational military exercise. She joined the Corps of Signals in 1999 after earning her master’s in Biochemistry from Maharaja Sayajirao University. Currently serving in the Mechanised Infantry alongside her husband, she recently stood out as one of the lead officers in the Operation Sindoor briefing.Coming from a proud military lineage, her inspiration, as her sister Dr. Shyna Sunsara shared, is their great-grandmother, who fought beside Rani Laxmi Bai and passed down a legacy of courage.Together, Col. Sofiya Qureshi and Dr. Shyna Sunsara remind us that courage isn’t confined to the battlefield and patriotism can bloom in camouflage or couture.