The strength of togetherness and the spirit of community is unparalleled in Kaliyuga – Pandit Sridev Jhaji, Nilambar’s (now, Jagadguru Puri Shankaracharyaji’s) elder brother, had strong faith in this. He also believed that a person who is a keen learner, must remain as a student, his entire life.
While, Pandit Sridev Jhaji lived in Delhi he visited their village and established a Student’s Association. He was twenty-five years older than Nilambar. At this time, Nilambar was just about 9 years old.
In the Student’s Association meeting, Nilambar was also present as a listener and hence, was highly influenced by the thoughts of His elder brother. They made a strong impression on His mind. His brother left for Delhi and soon after, under the guidance of Sri Balkrishna Jhaji, a play, “Abhimanyu”, was organized. Nilambar got the role of the charioteer of Sri Krishna, Daruka. The play was enjoyed by everyone in the village and the performers got famous in the neighbouring villages as well.
Later in the years, a friend named Bhupati established a Student’s Association. Nilambar was the youngest member in the Association but was offered the position of the Vice President.
He started a cleanliness drive in their village. The members of the association made their own brooms and cleaned the whole village, dug pits to dump and burn the garbage too. Older brahmins objected, calling the work dirty. However, Nilambar did not listen to anyone.
Under Nilambar’s leadership, a program was initiated with the intention to help the village women become self-reliant and give support to the unemployed villagers. This was done by contacting the Khadi Gram Udyog. Modern spinning wheels were arranged for every home and forty-five women were trained to use them. Bhupatiji’s father trained as a repairman and women in his home were also taught how to spin cotton. They received thirty-forty rupees per month from the Khadi Gram Udyog for the cotton made by them.
The Student’s Association equipped themselves well to handle the crisis of fire breakouts in their own village, as well as the neighbouring ones. Once, a fire broke out in their neighbouring Muslim village, Kaji Tol. On another occasion, a fire broke out in a house in the nearby brahmin village, Dih Tol. Both these fires were extinguished by the Students Association, and they managed the safety of all the affected people.
Toilets were arranged for women through the Gandhi Vitt “Chal Shauchalaya” programme. This was much appreciated by all and brought immense popularity to the Student’s Association.
Nilambar was an expert in executing well-cultured, clean, self-reliant and secure rural planning.