Bharti Dayal was born in 1961 at Samastipur and grew up in the Darbhanga district of Bihar, in Mithila region, which is known for the Madhubani style of folk painting. Though her formal education was in science and she holds a master’s degree in the subject, she continued to learn painting from her mother and elders in the family, painting alpana on the floor and sketching epic scenes on the walls to celebrate auspicious occasions. Using natural vegetable dyes and crushed rice paste on handmade paper, cotton and silk fabric and canvases, she continued to practice in her spare time and refined her skills. Marked for its rich colours and dense form, in Madhubani style, her art has a refreshing feel, given its assimilation of newer imagery with folk imprints and philosophical underpinnings. The focal protagonists in her works are Radha-Krishna and other deities worshiped in the region. A vigorous proponent of Madhubani art, she also guides and supports struggling artists practicing the folk form. Showing professionally since 1991, her work has been exhibited in numerous shows across India and internationally. It can be seen at Bihar Pavilion, India International Trade Fair at New Delhi amongst others and in documentary films made by French Television and Discovery Channel. Winner of the National, State, AIFACS and Millennium Art awards, she has also been helping promote work by women of her native village. Bharti lives in Delhi and works from her studio at home.