Punita Rice is the author of "The River's Daughter" a story about forbidden love, feminine rebellion, and river magic, inspired by the legend of Mirza Sahiba, and "The River Goddess: A Prequel," a mythic gods and mortals legend that tells of the source of that same river's magic.
A former teacher and education researcher, Punita holds a doctorate in education from Johns Hopkins University and is also the author of South Asian American Experiences in Schools. She is also the author of the academic book "Brown Voices: South Asian American Experiences in Schools" (originally published by Rowman & Littlefield / Lexington Books; rereleasing in 2026).
Her work has appeared in Berkeley Review of Education, Education Week, Radio New Zealand, The Baltimore Sun, and other publications. Though she now works outside education, she remains passionate about storytelling, learning, and raising curious, thoughtful kids.
Punita lives in Maryland with her husband, their boys, and their dog, and spends her free time daydreaming about rivers, rebellion, and love stories from the past.
