What sets Mahendra Man Shakya apart, in his own words, is his ability "to see hope when things are bad". And that is a talent all of us could do with.
'Honda Man' (his high school name has stuck into adulthood) likes to think of himself as a social entrepreneur rather than a businessman. Moving into his family business, Mahendra Man discovered he had a knack for picking winners. When he went to Delhi to buy light fixtures for his home, he ended up in partnership with the dealer who agreed to supply not just his residence but the whole of Kathmandu. The family's light fixture showroom was the first of its kind in the Valley.

It wasn't until Mahendra Man landed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1987 to work as an international youth counsellor in a Native American reservation that he realised money wasn't everything. "In the West, we are overwhelmed by the material aspect of life, but I realised there, in the middle of North America, it takes more than money to be happy," he recalls. Later in Boston, Mahendra Man took night school classes in economics, finance and accounting, and worked different jobs during the day.

The Nepali population in Boston hovered around 1,500, a number large enough to warrant an annual Dasain party. In 1992, Honda Man was elected president of the Greater Boston Nepali Community, but he was uncomfortable with the thought of making America home. "I believed a middle-class man like me would get better opportunities, dignity and recognition in Nepal," he explains.

Returning to Nepal, Mahendra Man spent four years and two terms as the president of the Godavari Alumni Association (GAA), rejuvenating one of the oldest social service organisations in the country. When his term ends this week, Rajeev Pradhan and Ashutosh Tiwari are standing as candidates for president in elections on Saturday. "It has been a rewarding experience," says Mahendra Man of his tenure at GAA. He now plans to spend more time playing and organising basketball tournaments. As secretary of the Nepal Basketball Association, Mahendra Man hopes to work the same magic he did for GAA.

He also hopes to devote more time to his pet venture, Momo King, a fast food chain that specialises in hygienic and healthy momos. With the success of the restaurant, Honda Man now has a new nickname: Momo King.