Supershort Bio:

Ritu Hemnani is an award-winning children’s author, teacher, and TEDx speaker passionate about diversity and storytelling. Her acclaimed novel in verse, Lion of the Sky, has earned multiple honours, and her upcoming book, Their Story Is Our Story, will release in 2026. Based in Hong Kong, she’s a proud mom of three and a global advocate for inclusion through stories.

 

Short Bio:
Ritu Hemnani is an award-winning author of children's books. With a heart for storytelling, Ritu is also a dedicated teacher, journalist, voice actor, TEDx speaker, and motivational speaker committed to promoting diversity and inclusion through her writing and articles for the Hong Kong South China Morning Post.

Ritu’s middle-grade novel in verse, Lion of the Sky, has received numerous accolades, including recognition as an Evanston Library Best Book of 2024, a selected title for the 2025 Hong Kong Battle of the Books, a Bank Street Best Book of 2025, and the 2025 Golden Dragon Book Award. Look out for her upcoming narrative non-fiction picture book, Their Story Is Our Story, set to be released by Chronicle Books in 2026. Ritu also shares her inspiring journey in her TEDx Talk, "An Inheritance Worth Sharing."

Ethnically Indian and holding a British passport, Ritu proudly calls Hong Kong her home. She travels the globe, engaging with readers, writers, and educators to share her love of storytelling. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her exploring Hong Kong’s stunning hiking trails, kayaking in sparkling waters, or revelling in the joyful chaos of life as a busy mom to three extraordinary kids.

 

Long Bio:

Ritu Hemnani is an award-winning children’s author and passionate advocate for storytelling, representation, and empowerment. Growing up in Hong Kong, she often felt invisible in the pages of the books she read. The stories didn’t reflect her world or her experiences—so she began creating her own. Armed with a pencil and paper, she wrote poems during her rides on the vibrant public transport of the city. The day her poem won a cash prize of HK$200, she never looked back! 

​

Ritu's love for storytelling extended beyond the page. Ritu threw herself into acting, starring in school plays and organising charity performances at a local hospital, using stories to bring joy and connection. At university, she became a DJ on University Radio Exeter—when she wasn’t learning to juggle! After graduating, she channelled her passion into teaching, inspiring students across the UK and Hong Kong with her energy for English and Drama.

​

In 2017, Ritu merged her voice and writing talents, lending her voice to educational toys and narrating the audiobook of her self-published picture book, Gope and Meera: A Migration Story. The following year, she began writing for the South China Morning Post, highlighting diverse voices and championing inclusion through human-interest stories. Her 2019 TEDx Talk, "An Inheritance Worth Sharing," further cemented her belief in storytelling as a bridge for empathy and understanding.

​

Her debut middle-grade novel in verse, Lion of the Sky (2024), is a powerful and lyrical exploration of the Partition of India—the largest mass migration in human history. Centred on identity, belonging, and hope, the book is written for the child she once was, longing to see herself in a story. It has been widely celebrated, earning recognition as an Evanston Library Best Book of 2024, a 2025 Hong Kong Battle of the Books selection, a Bank Street Best Book of 2025, and the 2025 Golden Dragon Book Award winner.

​

Ritu is set to release her next project, a narrative non-fiction picture book titled Their Story Is Our Story, with Chronicle Books in 2026—an extension of her mission to amplify underrepresented voices.

​

Proudly calling Hong Kong home, Ritu travels globally to speak with young readers, educators, and writers. She serves as a committed writing ambassador for the Home of Loving Faithfulness, supporting Hong Kong’s disabled community. When she’s not writing or speaking, she’s exploring the city’s hiking trails, kayaking in its turquoise waters, or embracing the joyful chaos of life as a busy wife and mum to three extraordinary kids.
 

​