In a world where children of film stars and politicians are often expected to follow their families into cinema, entertainment or public life, Ishita Shukla chose a very different path. The daughter of popular Bhojpuri actor and Member of Parliament Ravi Kishan, Ishita stepped away from the glamour associated with her family and opted for the discipline and challenges of military service.
At the age of 21, Ishita joined the armed forces under the Agnipath scheme as a Mahila Agniveer in 2023. Her journey to the uniform, however, had begun years earlier through the National Cadet Corps (NCC), where she developed the discipline, physical endurance and determination that would eventually shape her career choice.
Her story attracted nationwide attention because of the contrast it presented. While a career in entertainment could have been a natural option for the daughter of one of Bhojpuri cinema’s biggest stars, Ishita instead chose military training, physical hardship and service to the nation.
Growing Up in Ravi Kishan’s Family
Ishita Shukla is the daughter of Ravi Kishan Shukla and Preeti Kishan. Her father is a well-known actor who has worked extensively in Bhojpuri and Hindi cinema and later entered politics, representing Gorakhpur in Parliament.
Ishita grew up alongside her siblings Riva Kishan, Tanishqa Kishan and Saksham. Her elder sister Riva pursued acting, making the entertainment industry an obvious career avenue available within the family.
Ishita, however, developed interests that increasingly took her in another direction.
She pursued her higher education at Rajdhani College under the University of Delhi. It was during her college years that her association with the National Cadet Corps became particularly significant.
Rather than treating the NCC merely as an extracurricular activity, Ishita embraced the demanding routine associated with cadet life and began building the foundation for a possible career in uniform.
NCC Became the Foundation of Her Journey
Ishita joined the 7 Girls Battalion of the Delhi Directorate of the National Cadet Corps.
The NCC exposed her to drill, physical conditioning, weapon training, leadership exercises, camps and the discipline expected from cadets aspiring to serve in the armed forces.
Her performance began attracting recognition.
In 2022, Ishita was selected for an Award for Excellence by the Additional Director General of NCC during the Prime Minister’s NCC Rally. She was reportedly selected from among approximately 1,500 cadets participating in the event.
She was also recognised as a Best Cadet at her college, further highlighting her commitment to NCC activities.
Her NCC journey would eventually take her to one of the most prestigious stages available to a cadet — the Republic Day Parade.
Marching on Kartavya Path on Republic Day
One of the defining moments of Ishita’s NCC career came in January 2023 when she was selected to participate in the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.
She was among the girl cadets selected from the larger group attending the Republic Day Camp to be part of the marching contingent on Kartavya Path.
For an NCC cadet, earning a place in the Republic Day contingent requires weeks of intense preparation involving drill practice, physical conditioning and repeated selection procedures.
The achievement was particularly emotional for Ravi Kishan.
The actor-politician publicly expressed his pride in his daughter and highlighted the effort she had put into preparing for the parade. He spoke about her training through Delhi’s winter conditions and the years of preparation that had gone into reaching that stage.
For Ishita, marching on Kartavya Path before the country’s leadership was more than a ceremonial achievement. It represented the culmination of years of NCC training and brought her closer to the military career she wanted.
When Ishita Told Her Father She Wanted to Become an Agniveer
The Government of India announced the Agnipath recruitment scheme in June 2022, opening a new route for young Indians to serve in the armed forces as Agniveers.
Soon after the announcement, Ishita expressed her desire to join through the scheme.
Ravi Kishan publicly shared his daughter’s ambition at the time, saying that she wanted to become part of the Agnipath recruitment programme. His response to her was simple and encouraging: “Go ahead, beta.”
Behind that public encouragement, however, was the concern of a father who understood that military training would be far removed from the comfortable life his daughter could otherwise have chosen.
Ravi Kishan later spoke about those emotions during an interview, acknowledging that he had initially been reluctant to send his daughter into such demanding training.
Like many parents, he was worried about the physical hardship she would have to endure.
But Ishita remained determined.
According to Ravi Kishan’s later account, when he questioned her decision, Ishita turned the argument around and effectively asked why he himself wore a kurta and went to Parliament.
Her point was powerful: if her father had chosen his own form of public service, why should she be discouraged from choosing hers?
Her determination eventually prevailed.
Becoming a Mahila Agniveer
In June 2023, reports confirming Ishita Shukla’s selection under the Agnipath scheme began circulating widely.
She had been selected to join the defence forces as a Mahila Agniveer.
The announcement immediately attracted considerable attention because of her family background. Social media users praised her decision, with many pointing out that she could have pursued a far easier career in cinema, entertainment or another profession.
Instead, she had chosen military service.
Actor Anupam Kher was among the prominent personalities who congratulated Ishita and her family. Her story was widely presented as an example capable of motivating other young women interested in joining the armed forces.
For Ravi Kishan too, the moment was one of considerable pride.
He had watched his daughter progress from a college student and NCC cadet to a young woman willing to undergo military training and serve in uniform.
The Bruises Behind the Uniform
One of the most striking glimpses into Ishita’s mindset came through a social media post showing bruises sustained during training.
Rather than presenting them as something to complain about, she treated them as evidence of effort and perseverance.
“Maybe life isn’t about avoiding the bruises… maybe it’s about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it,” she wrote in a post associated with her training journey.
The words offered a glimpse into what her choice actually meant.
Joining the armed forces was not simply about wearing a uniform for photographs or receiving public praise. It meant accepting physical exhaustion, strict routines, discipline and discomfort.
For someone who had grown up in a prominent family, voluntarily choosing such a path made her journey particularly noteworthy.
She Could Have Chosen the Entertainment Industry
The contrast between Ishita’s chosen career and her family background is difficult to ignore.
Her father built his reputation through cinema before entering politics. Her sister Riva Kishan pursued acting. Ishita herself has artistic interests and has been associated with sketching and painting.
She has also shown a strong interest in fitness and shooting.
With her family connections and public profile, a career associated with films, social media or entertainment would not have been difficult to imagine.
Yet she chose something entirely different.
The decision should not necessarily be seen as a rejection of cinema or her family’s achievements. Rather, it demonstrates that children growing up in prominent families can develop ambitions independent of the professions associated with their parents.
For Ishita, that ambition was connected to the uniform.
Understanding the Agnipath Scheme
The Agnipath scheme was introduced by the Government of India in June 2022 as a new recruitment model for personnel below officer rank in the armed forces.
Young personnel recruited through the programme are known as Agniveers.
They undergo military training before serving for a four-year period, including the training phase. Under the framework, up to 25 per cent of each eligible batch may subsequently be enrolled in the regular cadre based on organisational requirements, performance and applicable selection procedures.
The scheme was designed with the objective of maintaining a younger age profile within the armed forces while providing military training, discipline and professional exposure to a large number of young Indians.
Women have also entered military service through Agniveer recruitment in eligible branches and categories.
It was through this system that Ishita chose to begin her journey in the armed forces.
From NCC Cadet to Agniveer
Ishita’s journey also demonstrates the role the National Cadet Corps can play in preparing young people for careers in uniform.
Her progression followed a clear trajectory.
She joined the NCC during her college years, underwent years of training, earned recognition as a cadet, participated in the Republic Day Camp, marched on Kartavya Path and subsequently pursued military service through the Agnipath scheme.
The transformation did not happen overnight.
Behind the eventual selection were years of drills, camps, physical training and personal discipline.
This is particularly relevant for young defence aspirants who sometimes focus exclusively on the final examination or recruitment process. Ishita’s experience demonstrates how habits developed over several years can prepare an individual for the demands of military life.
A Powerful Example for Young Women
Ishita’s decision also carries a broader message for young women considering careers in the armed forces.
The opportunities available to women in India’s military establishment have expanded considerably over the years. Women today serve across an increasing range of branches and roles, while institutions such as the National Defence Academy have also opened their doors to female cadets.
Against this changing backdrop, stories such as Ishita’s can have an important motivational impact.
She did not come from a traditional military family where joining the forces was necessarily an expected career choice. Instead, she grew up surrounded by cinema and politics and still discovered her own interest in disciplined service through the NCC.
Her background may have been unusual for an Agniveer, but the standards of training and discipline associated with the uniform remained the same.
That is perhaps what makes the story compelling.
Privilege Did Not Determine Her Profession
Public discussions around the children of celebrities and politicians frequently revolve around privilege and inherited opportunities.
Ishita Shukla’s journey provides a different perspective.
She certainly grew up with opportunities unavailable to many young Indians. But when it came to choosing a profession, she selected a path where physical fitness, discipline, training and the ability to meet prescribed standards mattered far more than a famous surname.
Her choice also attracted attention because politicians are frequently criticised in public discourse over whether their own children would be willing to accept the hardships associated with military service.
In Ishita’s case, Ravi Kishan’s daughter herself made that choice.
Whatever one’s political views, her willingness to undergo military training and serve as an Agniveer stands on its own merit.
An Inspiration for Defence Aspirants
For thousands of young men and women preparing for NDA, CDS, AFCAT, Agniveer and other defence entries, Ishita Shukla’s journey offers a simple but meaningful lesson.
A military career is ultimately a personal choice.
Family background can provide opportunities, but it cannot replace determination, physical preparation and the willingness to endure hardship.
Ishita could have followed her father’s footsteps into entertainment. She could have pursued the opportunities associated with being the daughter of a prominent actor and politician.
Instead, she chose early mornings, drill grounds, NCC camps, Republic Day rehearsals, physical training and eventually the life of an Agniveer.
From marching as an NCC cadet on Kartavya Path to entering the armed forces, her journey represents a young woman choosing her own identity rather than simply inheriting one.
For Ravi Kishan, she may always be his daughter. For thousands of young defence aspirants who encountered her story, however, Ishita Shukla became something else as well — an example that service in uniform can be chosen over glamour, even when glamour is readily available.
Her story is ultimately not about rejecting Bollywood. It is about having the freedom to choose a harder road and then possessing the determination to walk it.
