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.