Manik Talwani's impact on the geosciences clearly places him among those who deserve to be honored as a Ewing medalist. He has contributed major advances to our understanding of Earth's fundamental characteristics and has provided direction that will help guide geological/geophysical research long into the future.Born in Patiala, India, in 1933, Manik earned bachelor's and master's degrees at Delhi University. In the mid‐1950s he moved to the United States and enrolled in Columbia University for his Ph.D. studies. It was the beginning of a long association between Manik and Columbia. When he earned his Ph.D. in 1959, it was already apparent that he was destined to make a significant impact on the geosciences. He has been the recipient of several important awards for his contributions and leadership. These include the first Krishnan Medal in 1965, from his home country, and the Macelwane Award from the American Geophysical Union, in 1967, for his pioneering achievements in the application of marine gravimetry to studies of Earth's crust and upper mantle. Since 1970, Manik has been a professor of geology at Columbia, and for 8 years he served as director of Lamont‐Doherty Geological Observatory. This evening, for his continued contributions and leadership, Manik is being awarded the Maurice Ewing Medal. He is truly qualified for this distinction, based on his many important original contributions to marine geophysics, ocean technology and instrumentation, and also for his outstanding service to marine science.