In the 1990s, Ruby Bhatia became a household name as India’s first VJ, hosting popular shows like BPL Oye and the Filmfare Awards. A Miss India Canada winner who moved to Mumbai, Ruby quickly rose to fame — only to walk away from it at the peak of her career in search of something deeper.
In a conversation on Veriinteresting Podcast, Ruby spoke about her spiritual journey, revealing how her search for meaning began early in life and how it gradually shaped every major decision in her life.
“At 18, I took my first sanyas. I said I don’t want anything from this life. I was ambitious, and I thought the highest ambition one can have is moksha. Even at that age, I felt the highest purpose of life is moksha, so I turned towards spirituality and started studying philosophy.”
Interestingly, just as she was moving towards renunciation internally, life presented her with the exact opposite — fame, recognition and success.
“At 20, I came to India and got overnight success. It was strange — I had renounced everything, and yet everything was given to me.”
Marriage, ISKCON and the pull of devotion
As her personal life evolved alongside her career, Ruby experienced phases that brought both emotional and spiritual learning. Ruby married singer Nitin Bali when was 22.
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“At 22, I got married, and within two to three years, I got divorced because I wasn’t ready.”
She then immersed herself more deeply into spirituality by joining ISKCON, where she found both structure and a sense of inner fulfilment.
“Around 25, I joined ISKCON and was very happy for five to six years. I would take all that devotion into my shows, and as soon as work ended, I would return to ISKCON and recharge. That balance worked very well for me.”
However, this phase also brought external pressures, particularly from family expectations that began to conflict with her chosen path.
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“My family became concerned — they felt I was getting too deeply involved in devotion and kept asking about marriage and children. Eventually, I had to leave ISKCON, which was very painful.”
A breakdown that led to a deeper search
What followed was one of the most difficult and defining phases of her life, she stepped away from structured spirituality which left her feeling lost and disconnected.
“At 30, I had a complete nervous breakdown. Without ISKCON, I became dysfunctional. I am someone who needs God — if God is there, I understand life; if not, nothing makes sense.”
She explained that despite having everything people usually aspire for, there was a deep sense of emptiness.
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“I had everything — name, fame — but I wasn’t happy. So I decided to find the truth.”
Her search for answers took her across different teachings and spiritual leaders, as she tried to understand what truly resonated with her.
“I met the Dalai Lama, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Sadhguru and Mata Amritanandamayi. I compared all the teachings and was searching for the highest teaching available to mankind.”
Discipline and finding her guru
Her search finally led her to Paramahansa Yogananda, whose teachings gave her a sense of clarity and direction.
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“When I came to Paramahansa Yogananda and the SRF-YSS lessons, I felt this is the truth. I left everything and focused only on meditation. I felt it could take 10–15 lifetimes to realise God. For two years, 24/7, I was only meditating.”
She also described how even small interactions with the outside world began to feel like obstacles in her practice.
“If I stepped out to the market, I would come back restless and unable to meditate. So I stopped going out completely — I wanted nothing, only my meditation to be right. That became my discipline and focus.”
Returning to life, and finding love again
After years of intense spiritual work, Ruby reached a point where she felt more balanced and ready to reconnect with the world.
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“After two years, I felt I had done enough. I could now continue my kriya without meditating all the time. Before returning to public life, I decided to serve in the ashram.”
It was during this phase of service that she met her partner, marking a new chapter in her life.
“I met Ajit, a fellow volunteer, and the moment we met, we knew. We were friends first, and eventually, we got married.”
On being a life coach
Ruby Bhatia, now a mother of two, has shifted her focus to life coaching, saying her priorities have changed significantly over the years.
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Explaining her decision to take this path, she said, “Now I am 52, and I want whatever life I have left to do something meaningful. I have been doing life coaching for women for 25 years, often without charging. I charge very little now because if I say Rs 1 lakh, nobody will come. I have kept it at Rs 1,000 for a starting one-month program, Rs 3,000 for six months, and Rs 5,000 for a year. This is my fee structure. If I get two or three clients in a day for Rs 1,000, that is good for me — it comes to around Rs 1 lakh a month.”
This article reflects on a public figure’s personal journey involving emotional distress and a significant mental health struggle. While these experiences are shared within a spiritual and reflective context, they highlight the importance of addressing psychological well-being. If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time or experiencing a nervous breakdown, seeking professional guidance and support is a vital step toward healing.
HELP IS A CALL AWAY
MENTAL HEALTH HELPLINE NUMBERS
AASRA
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Snehi
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Fortis MentalHealth
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Connecting NGO
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Vandrevala Foundation
Contact: 18602662345
Email: help@vandrevalafoundation.com
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Languages: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and English
