Beating Poverty With Pattachitra, Odisha's Pankajini Mohapatra Paints Her Way To Financial Independence
From a struggling village girl to a national-level artisan, Pankajini painted her way out of poverty while empowering dozens of rural women through traditional art.
Published : January 10, 2026 at 12:37 PM IST
By Bhawani Shankar Das
Bhubaneswar: Born into a financially-struggling family in Anandpur village of Balipatna block, Khorda district, Pankajini grew up watching her mill-worker father stretch every rupee to make ends meet. Her mother, a homemaker, ran the household amid difficulties. With limited income and four daughters to raise, higher education for children seemed a distant dream. But as they say, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going."
“We are four sisters and my father was the only earning member. So I wanted to stand by him as a pillar of strength,” says 35-year-old Pattachitra artist and entrepreneur Pankajini Mohapatra, her eyes reflecting both struggle and strength. Yet, Pankajini found her colours, even in hardship.
The youngest of four sisters, she developed a keenness in painting while studying in Class 8. Though she could only complete her matriculation, her love for art never faded. She would observe murals in temples for hours, study designs at tourist spots and became a self-learner. She understood the language of traditional Odisha paintings and translated it into canvas - which later included textiles.
After school education, she came to Bhubaneswar, juggling part-time jobs while learning cone painting on pots, glass bottles, flower vases, and mehndi designs on plywood for outdoor décor. For all this, she used to earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 a month, igniting hope in her heart that she would be able to fend for her family. But she wanted to be strong enough in her art to earn well.
“I wanted to stay at home, support my family, and inspire others through my work,” she recalls.
In 2009, Pankajini joined the State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC) for formal training and in two years, she was skilled in traditional painting styles like Pattachitra and Chandua.
She worked in Bhubaneswar for three years and later in Puri for two more. Initially earning just Rs 5,000 a month, her salary slowly rose to Rs 10,000. Still, the financial growth felt limited.
Determined to be self-reliant, she returned to SIDAC, this time as a trainer, earning Rs 15,000 per month. Soon, she launched her own painting unit with students and later joined a Self-Help Group (SHG) under the Ma Annapurna SHG initiative.
That ushered the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey.
From 'Kalia Dalana' and 'Boita Bandana' to 'Raja Parba' and 'Mathura Bijay', Pankajini started doing it all including Odisha’s folklore, festivals, and heritage on sarees. Her Pattachitra sarees are not just garments, they are stories painted in vibrant details. Each saree takes up to 15 days to complete, depending on the theme and craftsmanship. "But not all sarees take that long. Some with lesser motif and design can be completed in seven to eight days," she informs.
Today, her hand-painted sarees sell for Rs 7,000 - Rs 8,000 within Odisha and pricoes go up to Rs 15,000 - Rs 25,000 outside the state. "Each piece earns a profit of Rs 4,000 - Rs 7,000.
Three years ago, Pankajini returned to her village to fulfil her mother’s wish, to work from home and help other local women achieve financial independence. So she trained village women through SIDAC’s annual programmes, helping many to learn and earn. Some of her students are now self reliant and work from their homes, earning consistently through painting orders.
One of her associates says, “Earlier, I used to stay confined to my home. But after undergoing training with Pankajini, I received government benefits and now earn on my own.”
Pankajini regularly sets up stalls at Bali Yatra, Toshali Mela, Delhi Trade Fair, Pravasi Bharatiya Mela, Pallishri Mela and Subhadra Shakti Mela. At the recently organised Subhadra Shakti Mela in Puri, she earned Rs 40,000 in just four days.
Her annual income now stands at around Rs 6 lakh. With this, she has helped build a new house for her family and supports her ageing father financially.
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