Rita is one of the longest-serving OBV Board members, having served since 1996. She has been the organisations longest serving Chair and currently is leading on finance and operational matters.

Rita helped pioneer Asian women's organisations in Leicester, most notably Belgrave Baheno Asian Women's Group and was the driver of the development behind the multi-million-pound development of the Peepul Centre in Leicester.

Rita became a Leicester City Councillor in 2011 and Assistant Mayor of Community and Equalities in 2019. In 2023, she resigned from the Labour Party and is now focused on both leading and implementing OBV’s three-year strategic review.