Artist: Meenakshi jha Banerjee

Meenakshi Jha Banerjee is a distinguished painter whose work draws deeply from the traditional folk art of Mithila. Based in Delhi but rooted in Bihar, she has dedicated over 24 years to evolving a contemporary visual language inspired by the simplistic yet profound elements of Mithila painting. A graduate in literature with a postgraduate diploma in design, Meenakshi is entirely self-taught - never having attended a formal art school - and has recently been honoured with a Senior Fellowship in Art (2024–2026) by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

 Her unique artistic style seamlessly merges traditional motifs with modern subjects, techniques, and media, offering intricate, layered compositions that respond thoughtfully to contemporary events and social narratives. Known for her minute detailing and emotionally resonant forms, Meenakshi’s work stands as a bridge between heritage and modernity.

Her paintings are housed in numerous government and corporate collections, including the Buddha International Museum, Indian Railways, the Airports Authority of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, UNICEF, ITC, and IFFCO. Her work has also been patronised by Indian Oil, Kalyanpur Cement, Allahabad Bank, and the Indian Army. 

In recognition of her contributions, she has received several honours, including the Bihar Kala Samman (2013) and the Tilka Manjhi Rashtriya Samman (2019).