Manik grew up in Amritsar, India, and received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemistry from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. His Masters research was focused on the development of fluorescent probes for the selective sensing of reactive oxygen species (ROS). After completing his Masters, he worked as a project Assistant in Dr. Sarit Agasti’s lab at JNCASR, India where he was involved in the synthesis and functionalization of cucurbituril derivatives that were used to develop host-guest systems for bioimaging and sensing studies. His current research focus involves the development of new-to-nature reactions catalyzed by the peroxidases enzymes. In his free time, he likes to play cricket and listen to Punjabi music.

ASU Teaching Excellence Award, 2022