Mahasundari Devi was born on April 15, 1922, in a small village called Ranti in Bihar, India. Although she was barely literate, her aunt taught her Madhubani art, which she used as a means of self-expression instead. When she was 18, she married a schoolteacher named Krishna Kumar Das and settled down in her married life.

Mahasundari Devi has a long legacy of empowering those around her through the practice of Madhubani art. In 1961, after she shed her veil (purdah) she established an organization to support Madhubani artists called Mithila Hastashilp Kalakar Audyogki Sahyog Samiti. Furthermore, when Bihar's agriculture industry stalled in the face of drought, she was among the many artists who used their artwork to supplement for lost revenue by displaying their work in prestigious galleries internationally. She also served as a mentor figure for the famous artist Dulari Devi, who used to be a domestic worker for Mahasundari Devi.

In 1976, Mahasundari Devi received her first felicitation from the art museum Bhartiya Nritya Kala for her work. Since then, her art has gathered critical acclaim and is displayed in prestigious galleries across the globe. She had numerous awards to her name, including but not limited to the Padma Shri Civilian Award for art contributions (2011) and the Tulsi Samman award from the Madhya Pradesh government (1995).