Manmohan Sarin obtained his BSc (1971) and MSc (1973) from Nagpur University, after which he joined Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad and worked on several aspects of river geochemistry and chemical oceanography. He obtained the PhD degree in 1984 and then worked as postdoctoral fellow at the College of Marine & Earth Studies, University of Delaware (1984-86). He is an Adjunct Professor at the College of Marine & Earth Studies, University of Delaware, USA (1996- ).

Academic and Research Achievements: During the early phase of his research career, Sarin made major advances in the application of uranium-thorium decay series nuclides to determine the removal time scales of reactive elements in surface and deep sea waters and their relation to biogeochemical processes occurring in the ocean. These studies provide key inputs to geochemical models for contaminant dispersion in the sea and massive carbon cycle in the ocean. This laid the foundation for further in-depth study pertaining to mobilization of chemical constituents during rock-water interaction (chemical weathering) and their transport via rivers to oceans. His contributions on 'river geochemistry' are well received internationally and are considered as benchmark and referred in textbooks. In later years, through a systematic study of 234Th-238U radioactive dis-equilibrium in upper ocean and C/234Th in settling particles, he provided quantitative estimates of settling fluxes of carbon and their relation to primary productivity in the Arabian Sea. In recent years, he has been involved with the studies on chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols and their role in atmospheric chemistry. Overall, he has made pioneering contributions towards understanding of chemical weathering processes in river basins, scavenging of trace metals and biogeochemistry of carbon in the sea, as well as chemical interactions regulating the composition of atmospheric aerosols. He also authored 85 research articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Other Contributions: Sarin's studies on the geochemistry and geochronology of the Bay of Bengal sediments are recognized as a benchmark work for this important oceanic region. He has also set up a full-fledged instrumentation laboratory at PRL for chemical and radioisotope studies. He has served as a Member in key international/national scientific programme committees such as JGOFS (Joint Global Ocean Flux Study), LOICZ (Land-Ocean Interaction in Coastal Zone), SCOR (Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research), and Int'l CACGP (Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution). He is Programme Director, for ISRO-GBP Project and Member of UN/GESAMP (UN Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection).

Awards and Honours: Professor Sarin is also a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and the National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad.