Jitavati Das is an author, artist and cultural advocate whose work reflects a deep commitment to preserving and promoting India’s artistic and spiritual heritage. As the founder of the Sheelpovaas Foundation, she has developed a multifaceted journey encompassing literature, visual art, cultural documentation and social initiatives. Her creative pursuits combine contemporary expression with India’s traditional knowledge systems, while her foundation works to ensure that indigenous art and craft traditions remain relevant and sustainable for future generations.
Her literary journey began at an exceptionally young age. At just 17, she published her acclaimed debut book, Visuddha Prema, exploring themes associated with Yog Darshan and ancient Eastern philosophy. The work established her as a young literary voice with an interest in spirituality, philosophy and Indian thought. Her contribution to literature has received recognition through honours including the Young Adult Author of the Year award and a place in the India Book of Records. Her work has also been housed at the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, reflecting its cultural and literary significance.
Visual art represents another important dimension of her creative identity. Her artistic journey began with a debut exhibition at The Harrington Street Art Centre in Kolkata. She subsequently presented her work at several prominent cultural institutions, including the Birla Academy of Art & Culture, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in Kolkata, Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur and Bajaj Art Gallery in Mumbai. Her artistic work later crossed national boundaries with an international exhibition at the Picasso Gallery in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Her creative practice has increasingly intersected with social documentation. One notable project, Women At Work, emerged from approximately 14,000 kilometres of travel across India. The initiative documented the lives, experiences and contributions of working women and transformed those observations into a large-scale cultural showcase. The project brought together personalities from the worlds of cinema, literature, sports, public service and social development, including Lilette Dubey, Divya Dutta, Shantipriya, Anuparna Das, the Maharaja of Ayodhya, Yatinder Mishra, UN Women Head Nishtha Satyam, and Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee Mouma Das.
Her second book, Trikaldarshi – Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari – The Boundless Mahayogi, further demonstrates the breadth of her creative and research-oriented work. The project combines spirituality, visual documentation and social observation, drawing upon approximately 9,000 kilometres of travel across two nations. Through extensive documentation of towns and villages, she explored the contemporary relevance of the teachings, principles and values associated with Lokenath Baba in the context of undivided Bengal. The work also incorporates her perspective on the psychological and political dimensions surrounding these traditions.
The formal unveiling of the book brought together distinguished personalities from public life, literature, criticism and entertainment, including the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Urban Development, noted critic Uma Nair, Padma Shri awardee Kumar Sanu, and actors Raima Sen, Jaya Ahsan, Shaheb Chatterjee and Sushmit Chatterjee.
Beyond her literary and artistic accomplishments, her most significant contribution lies in cultural preservation. Through the Sheelpovaas Foundation, she is actively identifying artist villages across India and working toward the restoration and promotion of traditional art and craft practices. The foundation also supports scholarship initiatives designed to encourage younger generations to continue inherited craft traditions rather than abandon them due to economic pressures.
Her journey represents an intersection of creativity, cultural research and social responsibility. By documenting communities, celebrating artists and creating pathways for traditional crafts to survive, she is helping transform cultural preservation from an archival exercise into a living, sustainable practice. Her work demonstrates how literature and art can become powerful instruments for protecting heritage while connecting India’s traditional knowledge with contemporary audiences.
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