Piyush Pandey – The authentic voice of Indian storytelling: Prabhakar Tiwari

Prabhakar Tiwari, Founder & CEO of the WealthTech firm Project Drone, remembers the late Piyush Pandey as “the authentic voice of Indian storytelling.” In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, he expressed gratitude for his last meeting with the icon and fondly recalled the memories of working with him nearly a decade ago. Take a look at his note below:

Goodbye to the Man Who Made 'Desi' Cool – The Authentic Voice of Indian Storytelling

I was so lucky to meet him again just a few months back at Sideways Consulting’s 10th anniversary event. Even in a room full of people, he had this incredible presence with that unmistakable twinkle in his eye. He was just as warm and humble as you'd hope, but with this razor-sharp wit that kept you hanging on every word. Hard to believe he’s gone.

I had the privilege of working with him & Ogilvy team almost a decade back, while shaping Brand CEAT Limited into a more passenger-focused, youthful and premium offering building further under the iconic theme “Roads are filled with idiots.” Those interactions taught me what real creative leadership looks like simplicity with strategy, and wit with wisdom.

It’s hard to overstate his impact. He basically shaped how brands tell stories in India. Long before "desi" was a global trend, he was already there, weaving the smell of the earth, the rhythm of our local languages, and the real heart of India into his work.

At a time when everyone in advertising was trying to sound polished and western, Piyush was a glorious contrarian. He proved, time and again, that being authentic will always connect deeper than just having the right accent.

We haven't just lost a brilliant adman. We've lost the voice that made an entire country fall in love with its own stories.

Om Shanti.