On this Father’s Day, actress Rakul Preet Singh shared how her life has been deeply shaped by being the daughter of an Army officer. Her father, Colonel (Veteran) Kulvinder Singh, served in the Regiment of Artillery, which handles long-range guns, rockets, and missiles.
Rakul grew up in an Army environment, living in a cantonment area, where most children were also from Army families. She said that growing up like that made her emotionally strong, even though her father was often away on duty. “We didn’t know any other life. Everyone’s father was away at some point for field or peace postings,” she said.
She also recalled the difficulties of staying connected in the 1990s when mobile phones didn’t exist. Her family spoke to her father through trunk calls, and sometimes even through a mediator. “When my dad was posted in the North East during a tense period in 1999, a person would pass our messages to him like ‘the kids are asking for chocolates’,” she said. “We could hear his voice, but he couldn’t hear us.”
Rakul believes that these childhood experiences made her resilient. “Trolls or criticism don’t bother me today. I’ve grown up seeing such strong parents,” she shared.
Talking about military operations, Rakul remembers moments of uncertainty during Operation Parakram, which happened after the Kargil War. Her father was deployed for months, and the family didn’t know what would happen. “I’ve heard stories of enemies having shoot-at-sight orders for my father. That changes your perspective. Army kids grow up fearless and calm,” she added.
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During Operation Sindoor, Rakul and her father followed every update on TV and stayed in constant contact. This operation was India’s response to rising terrorism.
Col (Veteran) Kulvinder Singh also shared his feelings on being Rakul’s father. “She was the first girl in our family. We were all boys, so having a daughter was very special. No family is complete without a daughter,” he said. He praised his wife for raising Rakul and her brother, Aman, when he was away on duty. “They never created trouble or got upset that I wasn’t around.”
He also reflected on his time in service during important operations like Vijay and Parakram, and said, “Wars don’t solve everything, but sometimes, strong actions are needed. I feel proud of our Prime Minister’s decision during Operation Sindoor.”
