Leaders mourn ad icon Piyush Pandey
Government officials and business executives mourned advertising veteran Piyush Pandey, who died on Friday at age 70. The Padma Shri awardee served as Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Worldwide at Ogilvy before succumbing to a severe infection. His funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m. at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal described Pandey as a transformative force whose creative work produced lasting cultural narratives. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised his ability to incorporate common language and authentic emotion into commercial messaging. Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra remembered the advertising leader for his enthusiastic approach to life and work.
Pandey created memorable campaigns for major brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk and Vodafone. He developed the political message “Ab ki baar Modi sarkar,” which gained widespread recognition. Former Union Minister Smriti Irani characterized him as a master storyteller who connected brands with audiences through emotional resonance.
