Shanti Devi Paswan and her husband Shivan Paswan are the great revivalists of the Godna style of Madhubani — the tattoo-derived art of Mithila’s Dalit communities. Overcoming deep social barriers, they have exhibited across the world and trained tens of thousands of artists, lifting an once-marginalised form to honour.
Their joint Padma Shri (2024) recognised both their art and their role in widening who Mithila painting belongs to.