Ira Khan Reflects on Mental Health Journey and Fitness Goals
Ira Khan, the founder of the Agatsu Foundation and daughter of actor Aamir Khan, recently opened up about her personal journey with mental health and fitness. In an exclusive conversation, she shared insights from eight years of self-work and therapy, highlighting her path to healing and self-trust.
Key Takeaways from 2025 and Goals for 2026
Ira Khan revealed her biggest takeaway from 2025. She learned to take care of herself after years of dedicated effort. She also started trusting herself again. On an external note, she expressed concern about suicide rates among young people. More than 10,000 individuals under 18 die by suicide each year, a statistic that has persisted for three years.
She pointed out a troubling pattern. Society often shows care only during crises. This attention fades after initial uproars or conference weekends. The issue affects society more deeply than many realize.
For 2026, Ira Khan set three clear goals:
- Get fit
- Raise funds for Agatsu Foundation
- Have more fun
Mental Health Advocacy and Personal Experience
Ira Khan uses her social media platform to raise awareness about mental health. This topic holds personal significance for her. After her own experience with depression, she feels empowered to work in this space. She operates from a place of fear, understanding, and hope, with emphasis on the latter two.
She acknowledged her family's support during her struggles. Ira always felt comfortable approaching them, though she sometimes hesitated to burden them or explain her feelings.
Digital Hygiene and Childhood Without Phones
Ira Khan discussed her approach to digital detox. She considers herself lucky that her mother did not allow her and her brother Junaid to have phones until they turned 15. She joined Instagram much later than her peers.
She maintains strict digital hygiene. Ira never scrolls through reels, checks her explore page, or visits comment sections. She puts her phone away an hour before bed to avoid getting wrapped up in emails.
Ira reflected on her habits. She used to get annoyed when she switched from video games to phone games. She questioned why she would intentionally develop a habit everyone tries to quit. Sometimes, she develops an unhealthy relationship with watching shows. During emotionally difficult times, she restricts content viewing to weekends and chooses only light, happy material.
Self-Care Routine and Non-Negotiables
Ira Khan has developed a flexible yet structured self-care routine over eight years. She follows a framework that adapts to her life's needs. Several non-negotiables anchor her routine.
Getting enough sleep every night tops her list. She happily embraces being the 'boring' person who goes to sleep early. This habit makes her feel great and enables her to accomplish daily goals.
She distinguishes between regular self-care and crisis management. Taking a shower helps her get out of a funk. She regularly invests time in nourishing activities and relationships, not just stress reduction.
Ira summarized her philosophy simply. Eat, sleep, drink water, move your body, and connect with people. Mindfulness naturally guides the how, how much, when, and with whom.
Fitness Inspiration and Husband's Role
Ira Khan first met her husband Nupur Shikhare, affectionately called Popeye, as her fitness trainer. Their romantic relationship developed later, after she returned from college. He has inspired all her fitness goals except running.
She always complained about running during workouts. She reached her fittest state while training with him. Later, she left for university, suffered a slipped disk, and developed fear around exercise due to body image issues.
Nupur remains an inspiration. Ira works on herself to workout with him again as his wife and friend, not as a client. She has the most fun and achieves peak fitness when exercising with him.
Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026 Participation
Ira Khan prepares for her first-ever run at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026. She signed up for the 21st edition because Agatsu registered as an NGO there to raise mental health awareness. Her husband baited her into walking-the-talk, literally.
She feels nervous but optimistic. On race day, she expects crowd cheers and support from fellow non-runner family members to carry her through.
Ira Khan's journey highlights the importance of mental health, self-care, and community support. Her upcoming marathon run symbolizes both personal achievement and advocacy for a crucial cause.
