Hiralal Shastri was born on November 24, 1899 at Jobner in Jaipur District. Born in a peasant family, he had his early education in Jobner. Hiralal secured the degree of Sahitya Shastri in 1920. He took B.A. degree in 1921 from Maharaja's College, Jaipur, securing the first rank. 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. While in administrative service he displayed qualities of hard work, efficiency and fearlessness. Banasthali Vidyapith, founded by Hiralal Shastri, has today become a premier national institution for women's education. To him goes largely the credit of laying the foundation of a strong, unified and progressive Rajasthan. The Posts and Telegraphs Department brought out a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Pandit Hiralal Shastri.

Born in the middle class family of school teacher, Ratanji was brought up with that blending of affection a discipline which is congenial for the development of rounded personality. She could get little formal education owing to her early marriage but she was a true example of education as the "manifestation of perfection already in man". That was the reason, when her husband resigned from the prestigious post of Secretary in Home and Foreign Department of former Jaipur State, with a view to take up a programme of village reconstruction in a small, remote backward village, she welcomed the move and stood by him amid all the troubles and tribulations. The programme that the Shastris took up in the village included Khadi and self-reliance, literacy and medical relief, and social and political awakening. An institution called ''Jiwan Kutir'' was founded by the Shastris in 1929 for rural reconstruction work and for training of workers for similar work in other parts of the country. She was a recipient of Padma Shri in 1955, Padma Bhushan in 1975, and Jamnalal Bajaj Award for outstanding contribution in the field of uplift and welfare of women and children.