'Full of life, laughter and wit’: Shashi Tharoor fondly remembers 'dear classmate' Piyush Pandey

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 writes. (File photo)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, late Friday evening, paid a heartfelt tribute to advertising legend Piyush Pandey, sharing a nostalgic 1978 photograph of the St. Stephen’s College cricket team with his " dear classmate".

Posting the photo on microblogging site X, Tharoor wrote, “Devastated & heartbroken to mourn the passing of my dear St. Stephen’s College classmate, the iconic adman Piyush Pandey".

"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 fondly remembered his college classmate.

Devastated & heartbroken to mourn the passing of my dear St. Stephen's College classmate, the iconic adman Piyush Pandey. 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… pic.twitter.com/erQZb4ccPM

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 24, 2025

The Congress leader further added, "His ad campaigns touched millions, but it was his earthy charm and incredible wit, as well as his simplicity and directness, that defined him. 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."

Pandey, who redefined Indian advertising by bringing Hindi, humour, and emotion to the forefront, passed away in Mumbai early Friday morning at the age of 70 after battling a respiratory illness.

A Jaipur-born former Rajasthan cricketer, Pandey joined Ogilvy & Mather India (now Ogilvy India) in 1982 and rose to become its Global Chief Creative Officer. He was the mind behind some of India’s most iconic campaigns -- from Cadbury’s “Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka” and Asian Paints’ “Har Khushi Mein Rang Laaye” to Fevicol’s “Yeh Fevicol Ka Jod Hai, Tutega Nahi.” He also coined the 2014 election slogan “Ab Ki Baar, Modi Sarkar.”

Tributes poured in from across sectors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal hailed Pandey as a “titan” who gave Indian advertising its voice and soul.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta summed up the collective grief in an adman’s own idiom, “Fevicol ka jod toot gaya. The ad world lost its glue today.”

Over a career spanning four decades, Pandey’s work became part of India’s cultural fabric. He was the first Asian to chair the Cannes Lions jury (2004), received the CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award (2012), and was conferred the Padma Shri (2016) and the London International Awards’ Legend Award (2024).

His sister, actor Ila Arun, said Pandey passed away at 5:50 am in a Mumbai hospital, adding, “He was the naughtiest and wittiest among us — always full of warmth and life.”

Pandey’s last rites will be held at Shivaji Park crematorium on Saturday morning at 10:30 am, Arun has confirmed.