Amul pays tribute to adman Piyush Pandey with moving topical: 'Inka sur sabse mila'

Born in Jaipur in 1955, Piyush Pandey began his career at Ogilvy & Mather India in 1982 as a client-servicing executive.

India’s celebrated advertising visionary, Piyush Pandey, passed away on Friday morning at the age of 70, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy that transformed the country’s advertising landscape. Widely recognised for infusing warmth, humour, and local ethos into his work, Pandey’s creative philosophy redefined how brands connected with Indian audiences.

Following the announcement of his death, Amul — a brand closely associated with his creative genius — shared a moving tribute on Instagram. The post carried the line “Inka sur sabse mila”, alongside the caption, “Amul Topical: Tribute to one of India’s advertising legends!” The message struck a chord across social media, where admirers and industry peers expressed grief and admiration in equal measure.

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“Truly a marketing maestro! We’ve lost a gem,” one user commented, while another wrote, “May his soul rest in peace.” A third tribute read, “Captain behind the captions,” and another described him simply as “India’s greatest ad-man.”

Born in Jaipur in 1955,Pandey began his career at Ogilvy & Mather India in 1982 as a client-servicing executive. His rise through the ranks was swift and transformative — eventually becoming Executive Chairman and Creative Director of the agency. Under his leadership, Ogilvy produced some of the most memorable campaigns in Indian advertising, each marked by authenticity and a distinctly Indian sensibility.

At a time when much of the advertising world was shaped by Western influence, Pandey stood apart for championing the use of Hindi and regional languages. He believed communication should reflect the lives, emotions, and idioms of ordinary Indians. His ability to draw inspiration from everyday moments and translate them into emotionally resonant campaigns earned him both industry accolades and popular affection.

His creative repertoire included some of India’s most iconic advertising work — Asian Paints’ “Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai,” Cadbury Dairy Milk’s “Pappu Pass Ho Gaya” Fevicol’s legendary commercials, Hutch’s “You and I” campaign featuring the now-famous pug, and Vodafone's ZooZoo, among many more.