Barkha Singh on life as a Fauji child: 'Grew up hearing Jai Hind, not Hello'
Synopsis
Barkha Singh's Independence Day reflection is less celebrity soundbite and more a rare inside account of what it means to grow up in a military household — where 'Jai Hind' replaces 'Hello', summer mornings begin at 5:45 am, and every transfer is both a loss and a reinvention. It's a reminder that for Fauji families, patriotism isn't a calendar event.
Key Takeaways
Barkha Singh , actress and daughter of a retired Indian Navy officer, spoke on India's 79th Independence Day about growing up in a military household.
She described patriotism as 'a way of life,' shaped by small rituals like greeting with ' Jai Hind ' instead of 'Hello.' Frequent postings and transfers, she said, made Fauji children more adaptable and outgoing, giving them 'multiple first days of school.' Military discipline — including waking up at quarter to six even during summer vacations — is something she carries into her professional life.
Her retired father is regularly invited to hoist the national flag in their residential colony, a tradition she calls a deeply special memory.
She urged citizens to thank veterans and keep armed forces personnel — across the Navy, Army, and Air Force — in their thoughts this Independence Day.
Actress Barkha Singh, daughter of a retired Indian Navy officer, says patriotism was never a conscious choice for her — it was simply the air she breathed growing up in a military household. Speaking on the occasion of India's 79th Independence Day, she reflected on how a life shaped by naval postings, early mornings, and constant transfers forged her identity as both a person and a professional.
Patriotism as a Way of Life
'Patriotism, I think, is a way of life. It is not something that I have to think of or consciously do to be patriotic. We've just grown up listening to “Jai Hind” instead of a “Hello.” So, just small nuances like that have also instilled patriotism at such a deep level that it's honestly just a way of life. There is no other way,' she said.
For Barkha, the sentiment is not performative — it is structural, baked into the rhythms of daily life that military families live by. Her father served in the Indian Navy and is now a retired naval officer.
Memories of Being a 'Fauji Kid'
Frequent transfers, which most children might dread, became some of Barkha's most cherished memories. 'As a military kid, one of my favourite and core memories growing up is the transfers — the whole excitement of moving to a new place and making new friends. While most other kids had one, maximum two, first days of school, as Fauji kids, I think we've had multiple first days. It felt daunting then, but I think it just made us a lot more outgoing,' she recalled.
She described how every transfer brought an entirely fresh start — new colony, new friends, new school bus. 'Everything was a new beginning with every transfer, and it was exciting every single time,' she added. This repeated experience of adaptation, she said, built a resilience and social ease that has stayed with her.
Discipline: The Military Legacy She Carries
Beyond patriotism, Barkha credits her father's military background for instilling a rigorous sense of discipline. 'It was instilled in us in literally everything we did. Even our summer vacations were never about sleeping in. We would wake up at quarter to six to be in the swimming pool by 6 or 6:15, followed by swimming lessons, horse riding, and everything being done on time. Everything was clockwork,' she said.
That discipline has followed her into her professional life. 'My team sometimes gets a little annoyed with how much importance I give to being on time and doing things exactly when they're supposed to be done. But it's literally a product of growing up in a military household. You really can't take it out of you,' Barkha said.
Independence Day and a Father's Honour
In recent years, Independence Day has taken on a deeper personal significance for Barkha. Though her family no longer lives in military housing, her father continues to be invited by their residential community to hoist the national flag — a gesture that moves her deeply.
'Everyone in the colony has so much respect for Dad being a veteran. He is always called to hoist the flag in our colony. So, I think that is a very special memory, watching Dad and seeing the respect and reverence he gets for all the years of his service,' she said.
Her Message This Independence Day
Barkha used the occasion to urge citizens to acknowledge the men and women serving in the armed forces. 'This Independence Day, we should keep all the jawans, all the officers, everyone serving in the armed forces — whether in the Navy, Army or Air Force — in our prayers, keep them in mind, and just thank them for their contribution. Or, if we ever see a veteran, it's a very small gesture from us to go and say, “Thank you for your service,” but it really matters to them,' she said.
Barkha Singh began her career as a child artiste and has since worked across films, television, and digital platforms. Her credits include Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge, Samrat & Co., Engineering Girls, Please Find Attached, Masaba Masaba, Four More Shots Please!, and Silence... Can You Hear It?. As voices of military families grow louder in public discourse, her account offers a rare, personal window into what service and sacrifice look like from the inside.
Point of View
Structural, and rooted in lived experience that most urban audiences have little access to. The detail that matters here is not the sentiment but the system: military households produce a particular kind of person, shaped by discipline and displacement, and that story is rarely told from the inside. What mainstream coverage misses is how Fauji children represent an invisible demographic — mobile, adaptable, and deeply service-oriented — whose experience of India is fundamentally unlike the settled, city-centric norm. Singh's account is a small but useful corrective.
NationPress
15 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Barkha Singh and what is her connection to the Indian military?
Barkha Singh is an Indian actress known for projects like Four More Shots Please! and Masaba Masaba. She is the daughter of a retired Indian Navy officer and grew up as a 'Fauji child,' experiencing frequent postings and military household discipline.
What did Barkha Singh say about patriotism on Independence Day?
She said patriotism is 'a way of life' for her, not something consciously practised. Growing up in a military household, small rituals like greeting with 'Jai Hind' instead of 'Hello' made patriotism deeply ingrained from childhood.
How did frequent transfers shape Barkha Singh's personality?
Barkha said that unlike most children who have one or two first days of school, Fauji kids experience multiple first days — at school, in their colony, and even on the school bus. She credits these repeated fresh starts with making her more outgoing and adaptable.
What role does discipline from her military upbringing play in Barkha Singh's career?
Barkha says the discipline instilled during her childhood — including early morning routines during summer vacations — directly influences her professional life. She is known among her team for strict punctuality and time management, which she attributes entirely to her military household upbringing.
What was Barkha Singh's message to the public this Independence Day?
She urged people to keep all jawans and officers serving in the Navy, Army, and Air Force in their prayers and to thank veterans whenever they encounter them. She noted that even a simple 'Thank you for your service' means a great deal to those who have served.
