Shashi Tharoor mourns Piyush Pandey: “We’ve lost a legend and a truly warm soul”

Politician and author Shashi Tharoor joined the nation in mourning the death of Piyush Pandey, the advertising icon who reshaped Indian brand storytelling and inspired generations of creative professionals. Pandey passed away on October 24.

“Devastated and heartbroken to mourn the passing of my dear St. Stephen's College classmate, the iconic adman Piyush Pandey,” Tharoor wrote in a post on X. “Before he gave a voice to modern India's brands, he was a Stephanian — full of life, laughter, and an earthy wit — and (as the pic below confirms) a pretty good college cricketer as well.”

Tharoor’s message was both personal and affectionate, evoking the warmth of old college camaraderie as well as admiration for a man who went on to define the public imagination. “His ad campaigns touched millions, but it was his earthy charm and incredible wit, as well as his simplicity and directness, that defined him,” Tharoor wrote. “We've lost a legend and a truly warm soul. My profound condolences to his loved ones — I have already spoken to his dear sister Tripti. May they somehow find peace to bear this loss.”

The tribute stood out not just for its intimacy but also for its recognition of how Pandey bridged worlds — from the cricket playing fields to the boardrooms of India’s biggest brands, from the vernacular idioms of “Bharat” to the global stage of Cannes Lions.

Pandey’s passing signals the close of an era when Indian advertising spoke in the language of its people — rooted, relatable, and real. Across more than four decades at Ogilvy India, he helped turn campaigns for brands such as Fevicol, Cadbury Dairy Milk, and Asian Paints into enduring cultural milestones. Storyboard18 called him “the architect of Indian advertising’s soul,” a man whose work helped India recognize and celebrate itself.

Pandey’s funeral will take place Saturday, October 25, at 11 a.m. at Shivaji Park Crematorium in Mumbai, where family, friends, and colleagues from across India’s creative and business worlds are expected to gather.

Tharoor’s remembrance — half elegy, half celebration — captured the duality of Pandey’s legacy: a professional giant with the heart of a storyteller. The same qualities that made him a beloved figure in Indian advertising — his humor, humility, and humanity — were already present in the young man at St. Stephen’s.

In Tharoor’s words, the world has lost “a legend and a truly warm soul.” But as Storyboard18 noted, the campaigns he created, the voices he shaped, and the spirit he embodied will continue to echo through India’s brands — and its stories — for years to come.