The descendant of an indentured laborer, a rice farmer in Guyana, Mahadai Das was born in Eccles, East Bank Demerara, Guyana in 1954. She lost her mother in 1971, and in 1973 her brother Patrick disappeared in the Guyanese jungle, which affected her profoundly. Gaining recognition as Miss Guyana in 1971, Das worked to promote the rights of Indo-Caribbean women. In 1972, she joined the Messenger Group, to promote the “Coolie” art form and raise public consciousness about the contributions of Indo-Guyanese people and their culture that had been excluded from the national narrative. She also served as a member of the Guyana National Service from 1974 to 1976.