Channo Devi was born in 1938 in the Mithila region of Bihar, a region widely regarded as the birthplace of Madhubani art. Like many women of her generation, she grew up in an environment where artistic practices were passed down informally through generations, and traditionally practiced by women on the walls and mud floors of homes during festivals and special occasions. Living as a Dalit Dusadh woman, she faced rigid caste hierarchies that historically restricted marginal communities from painting the upper-caste, styles of Mithila art. 

Rather than accepting this exclusion, Channo Devi spearheaded a revolutionary art style. Inspired by Godna (the traditional body tattoo patterns historically worn by lower-caste women) she recreated the protective motifs and symbols typical of the art form on paper using bamboo pens, black ink, and a balled-up cloth swab. Alongside her husband, Rodi Paswan, she used this technique to illustrate indigenous folklore, natural elements, and local deities like Raja Salhesh. Her innovative work established Godna art as an independent, recognized genre of Mithila art, transforming a symbol of caste-based social marking into an empowering art form that granted economic independence, and cultural preservation for Dalit Dusadh women. 

Channo Devi's novel techniques earned her critical acclaim both within India and internationally. Her works were featured in major exhibitions in New Delhi and Mumbai, and went on to be showcased internationally in the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. Her legacy lives on to this day, cementing her as a foundational figure who revolutionized Madhubani art by creating a space for marginalized voices in the Indian heritage art scene.