Ritawantee "Auntie Rita" Persaud (d. 2020) was a singer, mentor and active member of the South Ozone Park and Richmond Hill Indo-Caribbean community. She was well known in the Hindu community in New York and Guyana for singing devotional music at various mandirs in New York and for her work teaching her art form to young people.

Born in Guyana, Persaud moved to New York City in 1999 and quickly found a home amongst the West Indian Hindu community. Aside from her work as an accountant, Persaud spent much of her time on service projects to improve her community. Tragically, Persaud’s life was cut short at age 54, on Christmas Eve 2020, when the Uber she was riding in was struck in a hit-and-run accident in Ozone Park.

City Council Member Joann Ariola said of Persaud: “Whether it was through her work at the Shanti Bhavan Mandir, or through her day-to-day interactions with her friends and neighbors, Rita’s life was a bright light for all who encountered her."