Manas believes that “there are many ways to think about peace” and he has actively participated in a variety of peace efforts in his school, community, and through international service projects. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout by initiating a community effort to address a serious litter problem in a common area of his neighborhood.

He developed a plan to clean the frequently littered area and transform it into a community garden. As part of this project, he submitted a proposal to the community Board of Directors for approval, secured funding for materials, and recruited and organized volunteers. He says that the resulting garden improved the environment and the aesthetic of the area and encouraged better care of other common areas in the community.

At Lake Braddock Secondary School, Manas is a member of the Advisory Cabinet to the Principal, serving on the subcommittee promoting diversity and inclusion. In this capacity, he participates on a team proposing and developing events to encourage student expression of their cultural heritage.  Events have included International Potluck, Native Dress/Colors Day, and a playlist of music from different cultures played during the school day.

Manas is also a member of the National Honor Society where he serves as Community Service Coordinator planning, organizing, and monitoring student community service projects.

Last summer, Manas volunteered with the US Department of Education in the Office of Civil Rights. His job was to review correspondence relating to civil rights questions and complaints of violations and to forward the correspondence to the government office best suited to handling the question or concern.Manas also has a longstanding interest in business and finance which he has leveraged to support work with impoverished communities. This interest resulted in an internship with Leadership Initiatives, a nonprofit which provides high school students with internships and real-world experience through a variety of service projects.

Through this program, Manas and three other local students work to provide marketing, financial, and bookkeeping solutions to an impoverished entrepreneur in Nigeria. This entrepreneur currently runs a small laundry business, based entirely on manual labor, with the long-term goal of expanding his business and buying a washing machine. Manas says that he and his team are respectful of the entrepreneur’s wishes and work collaboratively with him to improve his business. Manas and his teammates also raised over $1,000 to purchase medical equipment, including hospital beds and lab equipment in Nigeria.

Manas says that he also feels called to contribute to his local community and thereby see firsthand the impact of his work. Since elementary school he has joined with other volunteers at his temple to make lunches for a local homeless shelter.

Manas recognizes the critical role of economic stability in the realization of a peaceful world. He has a life goal of applying his interest in math, business principles, and AI algorithms to developing small business possibilities in developing countries. He says that his peace work has reinforced his belief in the importance of simple kindness and compassion and the impact one can make to help and uplift others.