Shanti S. Gupta has made pioneering contributions to ranking and
selection theory; in particular, to subset selection theory. His list of
publications and the numerous citations his publications have received
over the last forty years will amply testify to this fact. Besides
ranking and selection, his interests include order statistics and
reliability theory. The first editor's association with Shanti Gupta
goes back to 1965 when he came to Purdue to do his Ph.D. He has the good
fortune of being a student, a colleague and a long-standing collaborator
of Shanti Gupta. The second editor's association with Shanti Gupta began
in 1978 when he started his research in the area of order statistics.
During the past twenty years, he has collaborated with Shanti Gupta on
several publications. We both feel that our lives have been enriched by
our association with him. He has indeed been a friend, philosopher and
guide to us.