Sita Devi (1914–2005) of Jitwarpur was among the artists who transformed Madhubani painting from a domestic ritual art into a world-renowned form. A master of the vivid, colour-filled Bharni style, she was one of the first to move the tradition from mud walls onto paper and canvas when, during the droughts of the 1960s, the All India Handicrafts Board encouraged Mithila’s women to paint for sale.
Her work travelled to museums and exhibitions across Japan, Europe and the United States, and she campaigned for her village’s development. Honoured with the Padma Shri (1981) and Bihar Ratna, she helped open the door for generations of Mithila women artists who followed.