In 1929, Hiralal Shastri selected a remote and backward village Banasthali, 72 km from Jaipur and founded 'Jeevan Kutir' there.

From early childhood Hiralal Shastri had a burning desire to go to some village and devote his life to the service of the downtrodden.

Though he joined Jaipur State Service in 1921 and had a meteoric rise to become Secretary in the Home and Foreign Departments, he resigned the same in 1927.

In 1929, in fulfillment of his childhood resolve, Hiralal Shastri selected a remote and backward village Banasthali, 45 miles from Jaipur and founded 'Jeevan Kutir' there.

[5] The Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department issued a commemorative postage stamp in November 1976 in honour of Pandit Hiralal Shastri.