For Ritika, the guiding compass of her journey has always been the union of science and spirit. “Where science meets the spirit, the world can change,” she says. What began in the world of science fiction soon became the space where the sage and the storyteller within her merged. “The roots of my work are spiritual, the branches scientific — inseparable. One cannot be without the other. Once I saw the divine only in the creator; now I see it in the creations, and that is where my energy flows.”
This philosophy is reflected in her diverse body of work. Her book brings the science of spirituality to life, deeply rooted in Indian mythology, while her films serve as treaty co-productions that creatively merge India and Canada. She sees both science and spirituality as global, despite being culturally perceived as Western and Eastern respectively — and believes both are needed everywhere.
Her contributions extend beyond the screen and the page. Early in her journey, Ritika founded Miracle Rhythms, a program for free movement that created a safe space for severely challenged youth and children. Today, she continues this mission through the grassroots work of her foundation, The We Women Foundation, turning difference into a celebration of joy and belonging.
Yet, her identity as an overseas citizen of India has been layered with paradoxes. “When I returned to India as an NRI, it paradoxically embraced me more. My value went up, even as I felt the sting of being seen as an outsider — not unlike what NRI students endure in Indian colleges or what our own citizens from the North-Eastern states sometimes face. India can be fiercely divided, yet it is still home, because home is where the heart is. I love it — despite, and often because of, its contradictions.”
The complexities of migration also redefined her relationship with patriotism. Losing her Indian passport was a difficult moment. “One of the hardest truths to digest was the moment my Indian passport was torn and replaced with a Canadian one that allows me to open doors to any country in the world without visas. Borders are the seeds of division, but creativity can at least bridge that gap in consciousness.”
If once she was patriotic, immigration widened her vision. “I became a global citizen. All my creative and spiritual work is rooted in India but backed by Canada. The days of seeking opportunities to express creativity were hard; India offered few. Canada gave me outlets that led to opportunities — opportunities to contribute back to India.” It is this journey of impact that earned her recognition in Canada, an honor she says humbles her.
Through all of this, Ritika holds onto a deeper truth: “When one is at home within, anywhere under the sun is home.” Her stories — whether spiritual or scientific, cinematic or literary — carry India in their heart while reaching outward to the world. “Indian or not, I cannot say. But I am surely a citizen of one world, carrying India in my heart and soul wherever life takes me — at least in consciousness and storytelling.”
