Sayan was a brilliant and warm-hearted mathematician and statistician. I met him during my year at the Max Planck Institute, just as he was beginning his new position there. We discussed several potential research projects together. Although we didn’t end up collaborating directly, I was deeply impressed by his enthusiasm, creativity, and the freshness of his ideas. I was heartbroken to hear of his sudden passing. It is a devastating loss for his family and friends, and a big loss for the math community.