Miss International India 2023 to CDS rank 2 to joining Indian Army: Check Kashish Methwani's education and family background

Winning a beauty pageant may sound like a dream career path for many, but for Kashish Methwani, it was only a bucket-list item. Crowned Miss International India in 2023, she soon traded the glamour of the stage for uniforms. With an All India Rank of 2 in the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam 2024, the Pune-born achiever has now completed her training at the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, and been commissioned into the Indian Army.

Kashish credits her journey with the National Cadet Corps (NCC) for shaping her career choice. During her college years, she marched at the Republic Day Parade, won the All India Best Cadet award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Her educational background

She holds an integrated master’s degree in biotechnology from Savitribai Phule Pune University and completed her thesis at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. She even received an offer for a PhD at Harvard University, but chose to pursue her dream of joining the armed forces instead.



After 11 months of tough training at OTA, Kashish has been commissioned into the Army’s Air Defence arm, which recently played a key role in ‘Operation Sindoor’. Along the way, she won the prestigious AAD Medal for highest order of merit in Army Air Defence, the Sikh Li Regiment Medal in March & Shoot, and several other distinctions, including the Drill and Discipline Badge and the Commandant’s Pen. She also showcased her leadership skills as Battalion Under Officer and later Academy Under Officer—the highest appointment at the academy.

Her family background

Her father, Dr. Gurmukh Das, is a retired scientist and Director at the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA), Ministry of Defence, while her mother, Shobha, is a teacher at Army Public School, Ghorpadi. Kashish and her sister Shagufta, an engineer, both studied at the same school, excelling in academics from a young age. Despite having no prior soldier background in the family, Kashish has now become the first woman officer in her lineage.

Kashish's other achievements

A versatile achiever, Kashish is more than just an Army officer or former pageant queen. She is also a Bharatanatyam dancer, tabla player, national-level pistol shooter, quizzer, debater, basketball player, and runs an NGO called Critical Cause. At OTA, she balanced academics and sports, represented the academy in basketball, volleyball, and handball, and even served as the emcee for major events.