Actor Madhavan impressed after Ravi Kishan’s daughter Ishita Shukla chooses the Indian Army over Bollywood

Ravi Kishan’s daughter Ishita Shukla took a path very different from the film industry her father has built his career in. In 2023, she made headlines after joining the defence forces under the Agnipath scheme. Before that, she had trained as an NCC cadet and participated in preparations for the Republic Day Parade. Her decision drew praise from several prominent personalities, including Anupam Kher. Now, the news has caught actor Madhavan's attention and he took to Instagram Story to share it.

Ishita’s choice also carries an interesting connection to actor R Madhavan, who once considered a military career himself.

Ravi Kishan’s daughter Ishita Shukla chose the defence forces

Ishita Shukla, daughter of actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan, joined the defence forces under the Agnipath scheme in 2023. The development was reported by several publications at the time, with Ravi Kishan confirming the news on social media.


The decision stood out because Ishita came from a family closely associated with the entertainment industry. Her father is a prominent actor, while her sister Riva Kishan has pursued acting. Before joining the defence forces, Ishita had already been involved in military-oriented training through the National Cadet Corps.

Ravi Kishan was proud of his daughter’s military ambition

Ravi Kishan had previously spoken about Ishita’s dedication to serving the country. In an old social media post, he described his daughter as his “brave daughter” and said she had been working hard for years with the aim of serving the nation.

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A post shared by Ravi Kishan (@ravikishann)

He also revealed that Ishita was a cadet of the 7 Girls Battalion of the Delhi Directorate and had been training in difficult winter conditions while preparing for the Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path. Ravi Kishan described her participation as a “proud moment as a father”, highlighting how much her commitment meant to him. Reports from 2023 also said that Ishita had become a Mahila Agniveer under the Agnipath scheme.

Anupam Kher praised Ishita’s decision

Ishita’s decision also caught the attention of actor Anupam Kher. Kher took to social media after learning that she had joined the defence forces under the Agniveer scheme. Sharing a picture of Ishita with Ravi Kishan, he congratulated the family and expressed his happiness and pride.

In his message, Kher described Ishita’s decision as “inspirational” and said he hoped her step would become an example for millions of girls who may consider military service as a career. He also sent his love and blessings to Ishita and ended the message with “Jai Hind.”

Madhavan’s own connection with the military

Ishita’s choice also brings to mind R Madhavan’s own early connection with military training. During his college years, Madhavan became actively involved in extracurricular military activities through the NCC. At the age of 22, he was reportedly recognised among the leading NCC cadets in Maharashtra. That achievement gave him an opportunity to travel to England with seven other NCC cadets. During the trip, he received training with the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

Madhavan had even considered pursuing a military career. However, he reportedly missed the age cut-off by six months and was unable to join the programme.