On a humid morning in Kolkata, a group of workers bends over a patch of freshly dug earth, carefully pressing saplings into the soil. Standing among them is 26-year-old Manav Sony — sleeves rolled up, hands muddy, checking whether each plant has enough space to grow.

Around him, the land is still rough and unfinished. But Manav smiles easily as he walks across the site, greeting workers by name and explaining how this once-barren stretch will soon become a dense green patch using the Miyawaki method of afforestation.

“A lot of people think social work is only about charity,” he says. 

“But for me, it is about solving problems in a smart and practical way. If we can create impact and dignity together, why shouldn’t young people choose this path?”

Just two years ago, Manav’s life looked very different. Fresh out of law school, he was building a career as a corporate lawyer in Kolkata’s real estate sector — the kind of stable, respectable path many young professionals spend years chasing.

Today, he leads Funsmart Knowledge Solution Foundation, a grassroots organisation working across education, environment, waste management, women’s health, and disability inclusion. 

What started as a one-person initiative in 2024 now operates across 35 cities with over 400 volunteers.

But the journey from corporate law to community work was far from easy.

The moment that changed everything

Born and raised in Kolkata, Manav says he had always been drawn towards social impact work. During school, he was part of environmental clubs and frequently volunteered in community initiatives. Still, practicality won when it came time to choose a profession.

After completing his BBA and LLB, he joined Kolkata’s real estate sector as a corporate lawyer. The work was stable, well-paying, and secure — everything a young graduate is expected to want.

Yet even while working long corporate hours, weekends pulled him elsewhere.

He spent his free time teaching children in government schools, organising food distribution drives with friends, and trying to sponsor the education of underprivileged students.

One experience, however, stayed with him.

A young girl whose education he had tried to support finally secured admission to a good school. When her family called him to share the news, their relief and gratitude deeply affected him.

“That moment kept repeating in my mind,” he recalls. “I started asking myself — if helping even one person can create this much change, then why am I limiting myself?”

Soon after, he registered Funsmart Knowledge Solution Foundation.

The name itself reflected the kind of organisation he wanted to build. Manav says he deliberately avoided choosing a typical NGO name because he wanted the foundation to feel young, creative, and solution-oriented.

“Funsmart,” he........

© The Better India