Gajraj Rao's Tribute: Remembering Piyush Pandey, India's Advertising General

Veteran actor Gajraj Rao, who shared a close bond with the late ad icon, paid him a heartfelt tribute. In a video message, the actor said that Pandey "stood at the forefront of every big and small campaign with his pen." Gajraj fondly recalled how the adman treated everyone equally.

"He stood at the forefront of every big and small campaign with his pen. Be it a novice writer, or a new, young ad filmmaker, or a very talented writer, or a very talented client, he would go to the same level with everyone and make friends with everyone without any hesitation," he said.

Rao also took to Instagram to pay tribute to Pandey, calling him the "general of the Indian advertising world."

Sharing a long emotional note, he wrote, "Piyush Pandey sir in my eyes, he was the general of the Indian advertising world, who used to stand in the front row with his pen on every small and big creative front. Every obstacle had a break. Their grip on Indian society was amazing, especially he was the advertising guru who understood Rural India better. Whether it is a novice writer or a veteran client, Pandey Saab used to make a relationship with a bit of betkalluffy. He was Sam Manekshaw, General of Indian Advertising, rich with unique talent and courage, no one can replace him. Salute!!! #piyushpandey #rip"

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQLy9BbDF-W/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

According to one of the relatives, Pandey had been suffering from pneumonia for the past few weeks after he returned from a recent trip. His health continued to worsen, and he had not been responding to treatment.

Pandey,70, started his advertising journey in 1982 with Ogilvy & Mather India (now Ogilvy India), beginning as a trainee account executive before transitioning to the creative side.

With his talent, he literally changed the face of Indian advertising. He's the mastermind behind iconic ad campaigns like Asian Paints' "Har khushi mein rang laaye", Cadbury's "Kuch Khaas Hai", and Fevicol's iconic "Egg" film. In 2004, Piyush Pandey etched his name in history as the first Asian to serve as jury president at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. His trailblazing contributions were later recognised with the CLIO Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and the Padma Shri, making him the first figure from Indian advertising to receive the national honour.

The funeral will be held on Saturday morning at Shivaji Park at 10 a.m.

- ANI