Piyush Pandey demise: India Inc leaders pay tribute to advertising legend
Piyush Pandey, 70, passed away on Friday morning. His funeral will be held on Saturday, October 25, at 11 a.m. at Shivaji Park Crematorium in Mumbai.
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Leaders from India Inc paid heartfelt tributes to Piyush Pandey, the creative powerhouse who transformed the face and soul of Indian advertising.
Pandey, 70, passed away on Friday morning. His funeral will be held on Saturday, October 25, at 11 am at Shivaji Park Crematorium in Mumbai.
Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, remembered Pandey for his infectious spirit as much as his creative brilliance.
“What I will remember most is not the campaigns he crafted or the brands he built, but his hearty laugh and his irrepressible zest for life. He reminded us that even in the serious business of persuasion, joy and humanity must never be forgotten… Piyush always carried that summer within him.”
Yes, he was a man who left gigantic footprints on the ad industry…
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) October 24, 2025
But what I will remember most is not the campaigns he crafted or the brands he built, but his hearty laugh and his irrepressible zest for life.
He reminded us that even in the serious business of persuasion,… pic.twitter.com/6C1SJHwFH6
Uday Kotak, Founder and Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, recalled Pandey’s creativity and his role in shaping the bank’s identity.
“Sad that Piyush Pandey leaves us. He launched Kotak Mahindra Bank with a campaign in 2003, describing banking as ‘common sense.’ An amazing out-of-the-box thinker and a humble person, he weaved creativity with an Indian context. Will miss him.”
Sad that Piyush Pandey leaves us. He launched Kotak Mahindra Bank with a campaign in 2003, describing banking as “common sense”. Amazing out of the box thinker and a humble person. He weaved creativity with an Indian context. Will miss him. pic.twitter.com/98o4KiUiT0
— Uday Kotak (@udaykotak) October 24, 2025
Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, described Pandey as a storyteller who gave Indian advertising a distinct cultural confidence.
“Piyush Pandey was far more than just an advertising legend. He was the voice that made India believe in its own story. He gave Indian advertising its self-confidence, its soul, its ‘swadeshi’ swagger. And he was a very good friend! Like a master batsman, he played every stroke with his heart.”
Piyush Pandey was far more than just an advertising legend. He was the voice that made India believe in its own story. He gave Indian advertising its self-confidence, its soul, its “swadeshi” swagger. And he was a very good friend! Like a master batsman, he played every stroke… pic.twitter.com/HhyaEBzZdL
— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) October 24, 2025
Pandey’s passing marks the end of an era for India’s creative industry --one defined by his ability to make brands speak the language of the people, blending humour, authenticity, and emotion in a way few others could.
