From an early age she dynamically participated in India’s freedom struggle. Later on, even in the midst of her busy life as the wife of an eminent Indian diplomat and bringing up two daughters, she continued to take a benevolent interest in the world around her. In 1961, Shri Mataji launched the 'Youth Society for Films' to encourage national, social and moral values in young people. She was also a member of the Film Censor Board in Mumbai.

As the founder of Sahaja Yoga meditation and travelling extensively around the world, she interacted with a wide range of people from different countries, cultures, income levels and backgrounds and related to them with interest and sincerity. She recognized that all human problems stemmed from ignorance of their true inner potential as spiritual beings, and that this potential could be easily tapped into through self-realization. Inner transformation, which is the key to societal transformation, served as the cornerstone for all global NGOs initiated by Shri Mataji.

She created charitable organizations such as the Vishwa Nirmala Prem Ashram for destitute women and orphan children, founded international schools promoting enlightened education, established holistic health centers, created an international academy promoting classical music and fine arts, and much more. All of these endeavors complemented her global work of spiritual transformation.

The 21st century presents us with multi-faceted challenges the responses to which will define and shape the new norms of tomorrow's society. People around the world continue to look for solutions to these challenges, be it global pandemics, climate change, socio-economic problems, cultural conflicts, religious fanaticism, etc., all of which will define our human footprint on this planet Earth.

Many of the social and economic problems that societies face today are caused by greed and materialism. Shri Mataji underlined that materialism is an incorrect attitude towards matter and that matter has its own purpose which is, to give us joy.  If we see a beautiful piece of art, for example, we can admire it, but we do not need to own it. Or if we give someone a gift as an expression of our love, we use the matter in an appropriate way, and we feel true satisfaction beyond the transitory pleasure of buying and owning something.

When the 3rd subtle center, known as the Nabhi Chakra within us gets enlightened after our self-realization through our Kundalini awakening, we feel completely satisfied, free from the negative tendencies of greed and possessiveness. We see the spiritual value of matter which we feel as positive energy emitting from objects created out of natural material and even beautiful handmade crafts and painting. Shri Mataji attributed such phenomena to the spiritual coefficient of matter which can be felt after self-realization.

Interestingly the enlightenment of the 2nd center, the Swadhisthan Chakra, within our subtle system, known as the Swadhisthan Chakra, enhances our sense of creativity, enabling us not only to appreciate the creative works of others, but often to discover our own innate creative potential. Many Sahaja Yoga meditation practitioners are amazed at their own exponential growth in creative talents, all of which comes spontaneously as pure inspiration and intuition.

Shri Mataji foresaw the manifestation of these beautiful subtle qualities not only within the individual but also as a collective force which could manifest in society and change the course of humanity from a path of self-destructiveness towards a sustainable life on planet Earth.

Shri Mataji’s compassion and concern for humanity was the fuel for all of her activities. She never referred to what she did as “work”, rather a labour of love which she thoroughly enjoyed.