Since his school days, he is actively involved with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He became a part of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1967. He merged with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) just after RSS. By seeing his motivation and work ethics, Shyam Jaju was appointed as the State Secretary, from 1981 to 1983 of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in the state of Maharashtra.

He agitated against infiltration, on 2 October 1983, in Guwahati Satyagrah. In 1984, he became the Organizing Secretary of Delhi. From the year 1978 to 1984, Shyam Jaju was a full-time involved with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

From the year 1992 to 2002, Shyam Jaju remained at the position of State Executive Member, Maharashtra and worker training cell. He was always known to deal with complicated tasks with ease and because of such qualities, he became the Office Secretary of BJP headquarters in Delhi in the year 2002 and remained on the same post till 2005. He has been at the position of Director, since 2004, of Keshav Sehkari Cooperative Bank.

The Gandhi Mandela Foundation is a Government of India registered trust that promotes individual freedom, civil liberties and human rights across the globe with its headquarters in New Delhi and has its presence in America, Africa, Russia, Great Britain, Switzerland, China, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Foundation instituted the Gandhi Mandela Awards during the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji to celebrate those who have carried forward that the legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

The Chairman of the Foundation is India’s hindu spiritual leader Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj (President of Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, a Board Member of World Council of Religious Leaders) and the Patron is Swami Ramdev. The Jury committee includes former Chief justices of three countries (India, Nepal & Bangladesh).

The Gandhi Mandela award is given annually in seven categories, and usually presented by the Jury Chairman.