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Ad legend Diwan Arun Nanda, former Rediffusion Chairman, dies at 76
In 2023, Diwan Arun Nanda stepped down as Chairman of Rediffusion after 50 years at the helm. The chairmanship of the agency’s board was passed on to Sandeep Goyal, who had worked directly under Nanda for many years and continues to serve as the Managing Director of Rediffusion.
Nanda’s influence extended beyond advertising. He advised Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s, led joint ventures with international networks such as Young & Rubicam, and served on the boards of Air India, Eveready, Kingfisher Airlines and Yes Bank. His voice carried weight across industries, often bridging the gap between marketing, corporate governance and public life.
Diwan Arun Nanda, who led Rediffusion as its Chairman and steered the agency for five decades, has passed away. He was 76.
In 2023, Nanda had stepped down as Chairman of Rediffusion after 50 years at the helm. The chairmanship of the agency’s board was passed on to Sandeep Goyal, who had worked directly under Nanda for many years and continues to serve as the Managing Director of Rediffusion.
At the time, Nanda said, “Rediffusion’s 50 years has been a dream run. I enjoyed every moment of the many hundreds of client interactions, the strategy sessions, the creation of campaigns, and the launching of brands. At the board level, I must thank Ajit Balakrishnan, Suresh Talwar, and Sunil Phataphekar, my co-directors for years, for their sage advice and support during my tenure as Chairman. The agency under Sandeep is in good hands, and I am happy to pass on the baton to him at Rediffusion.”
Nanda was the first gold medallist of the inaugural batch of IIM Ahmedabad in 1966 and part of the first group of management trainees ever recruited by Hindustan Lever. He is credited as the brain behind the iconic ‘lightning strikes’ mnemonic for Rin, a brand he managed at Lever.
In 1973, Nanda transitioned to the creative side of the industry and went on to co-found Rediffusion, building it into one of India’s most respected advertising agencies.
A two-time President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award in the early 2000s, Nanda also served on the boards of Air India, Eveready, Kingfisher Airlines, Yes Bank, and others. From 1983 to 1991, he was an advisor to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He also served as Chairman of Dentsu Young & Rubicam, the Asian joint venture between the two advertising giants.
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