Four engineering graduates who were very sensitive to the causes of disparity, exploitation and poverty established Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra in 1971. Motivated by the vision and ideas of the great Sarvodaya leader Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan, these graduates made the decision to abandon their careers and comfortable lifestyles in order to explore ways to establish a just society, in which no one remains hungry, unemployed, exploited, or discriminated against. NBJK has grown significantly over the years. From its humble beginnings in a small dalit hamlet in the village of Bahera in Hazaribag in the state of Jharkhand, the organization now has a presence in 10 districts of Jharkhand and Bihar. NBJK also works in close partnership with a networked of voluntary organizations and small groups in an additional 40 districts in the two states.

The organization aims at facilitating a just and egalitarian society through an integrated development approach, with special emphasis on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sections of society. The 6 core program areas are as follows: education; eye care and health; micro credit and socio-economic development; solid waste management and sanitation; small group support, advocacy, and governance; and disaster relief.

NBJK is registered as a society under the Society Registration Act XXI, 1860 at Patna, Bihar. Registration No. 61/1974-75 dt. 26-09-74. The organization is also registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976. Registration No. 337750015.