Sidharth Rao wasn’t one for the high society party circuit and never lost his connection with real India: Shubhranshu Singh on Rao

Shubhranshu Singh, vice president - marketing - domestic & IB · Tata Motors, pens a tribute to Sidharth Rao whose sudden passing due to cardiac arrest has left the industry in shock.

By  Shubhranshu Singh| Apr 22, 2023 5:04 PM
Sidharth Rao founded digital agency Webchutney 23 years ago when taking a bet on the internet was being done by very few. He built the agency from the ground up and it was acquired by Dentsu in 2013.

“Ram Ram Sir , mil lo is haftey” these were the last words I got on whatsapp from Sidharth this past Monday. I had no clue he meant this was the last we had to meet. Gone away too soon.

I got to know Sidharth Rao a couple of years ago. He was a person full of ideas and, instinctively, his mind thought in terms of value creation. He was a genuine entrepreneur - willing to go “all in” and optimistic no matter what his cards.

He also had a wonderful external orientation and meeting him for a couple of hours meant getting many examples of value creation across industries. He invited me to address his team, to his farm at Karjat and to meet in Mumbai - none of which could materialise due to our respective schedules.

A bon vivant, he wasn’t one for the high society party circuit and never lost his connection with real India.

He always wrote back on my weekly columns and urged me to finish the books I have WIP.

He was an energetic and committed entrepreneur who would have done much in his second innings. RIP Sidharth.

About Sidharth Rao

Sidharth Rao, who co-founded one of India’s first and finest digital agencies Webchutney passed away on Friday evening. He is survived by his parents and wife. Colleagues and industry executives are taking to social media platforms to mourn the loss.

Rao founded digital agency Webchutney 23 years ago when taking a bet on the internet was being done by very few. Rao built the agency from the ground up and it was acquired by Dentsu in 2013.

It created India's most-awarded campaign ever at Cannes Lions 2022.

First Published onApr 22, 2023 2:54 PM

SPOTLIGHT

Special CoverageCalling India’s Boldest Brand Makers: Entries Open for the Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity

From purpose-driven work and narrative-rich brand films to AI-enabled ideas and creator-led collaborations, the awards reflect the full spectrum of modern creativity.

Read More

“Confusion creates opportunity for agile players,” Sir Martin Sorrell on industry consolidation

Looking ahead to the close of 2025 and into 2026, Sorrell sees technology platforms as the clear winners. He described them as “nation states in their own right”, with market capitalisations that exceed the GDPs of many countries.