Preity Zinta: ‘I want you to be the master of your destiny’: Preity Zinta’s father gave her this one lesson about education that every parent should teach their daughter

Preity Zinta’s father gave her this one lesson about education

For Preity Zinta, education was never simply about getting a degree. It was the foundation of independence. Long before she became one of Bollywood’s most recognisable actresses, a successful entrepreneur, and a co-owner of an IPL team, she was a young girl whose parents taught her that education could give her something no one could take away: the ability to stand on her own feet. Speaking about the values she received from her parents, Preity recalled a powerful lesson from her father. He wanted her to grow up independent and make her own choices rather than becoming completely dependent on the men in her life. For him, education was the key to that independence. The lesson stayed with Preity and later became closely connected to her own views on women’s empowerment.

The advice her father gave her as a young girl

The advice her father gave her as a young girl

Preity has recalled how her father told her that an Indian woman could become dependent on her father when she was young, her husband after marriage, and her son later in life. He did not want that future for his daughter. Instead, he told her that he wanted her to have independence and be the master of her own destiny. According to Preity, he believed education was the way to achieve that independence and become capable of standing on her own two feet. That advice was not just something said at home. Her parents supported her education and gave her the freedom to explore her interests.

Education came before Bollywood

Preity’s academic journey is an important part of her story. She studied at The Lawrence School in Himachal Pradesh and later attended St. Bede’s College in Shimla, where she graduated with an English honours degree. She also pursued psychology and later completed postgraduate studies in criminal psychology. Her academic background is especially striking because she entered the entertainment industry soon after completing her education. She made her acting debut with ‘Dil Se…’ in 1998 and went on to become one of Hindi cinema’s leading actresses. But her education remained part of the foundation she had built before fame arrived.

A childhood tragedy that made her grow up early

A childhood tragedy that made her grow up early

Preity also experienced a major loss during her teenage years. Her father, Durganand Zinta, an Indian Army officer, died in a car accident when she was 13. Her mother, who was also involved in the accident, suffered serious injuries and was bedridden for two years. Such an experience could have changed the direction of her life. Instead, the values instilled by her parents continued to guide her.

She turned that lesson into a larger mission

Preity has often spoken about women’s empowerment, and the connection to her father’s advice is clear. In her 2010 honorary doctorate acceptance speech at the University of East London, she spoke about her parents’ support and linked her own independence to the opportunities they gave her. The university honoured her for her contribution to cinema and humanitarian work. Her journey after Bollywood also reflects that independent spirit. She became a co-owner of the IPL’s Punjab Kings, founded the production company PZNZ Media, and later joined Shubman Gill and others as a co-founder of the fitness brand DRIVE FITT in 2024.

The lesson every parent can take from Preity’s story

The lesson every parent can take from Preity’s story

The most important lesson in Preity Zinta’s story is not that every child needs an extraordinary career. It is that parents should prepare daughters for independence, whatever path they eventually choose. Education should not be treated only as a route to marks, degrees, or a job. It can teach a girl how to think, make decisions, understand the world, and build confidence in her own abilities. Preity’s parents did not simply tell their daughter to become successful. They gave her the education and freedom to decide what success meant for her.And years later, when Preity stood on her own feet, she carried that lesson forward. On her 34th birthday in 2009, she took responsibility for the upbringing of 34 girls at the Mother Miracle orphanage in Rishikesh, including their education, food, and clothing. For parents raising daughters today, perhaps that is the real message worth remembering: give a girl education, but also give her the confidence to use it. Give her opportunities, but also let her make choices. And most importantly, raise her to know that her future should never depend entirely on who stands beside her. Because the greatest gift a parent can give a daughter is not a life where she will never need anyone. It is a life where she knows she can stand on her own two feet.