Piyush Pandey: The desi genius who gave India its advertising voice
Harish Bijoor, Founder of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc., says the passing of Piyush Pandey is a deeply personal loss, describing him as not just a legendary creative mind, but also a friend and mentor
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Published: Oct 24, 2025 12:43 PM | 2 min read
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Advertising legend Piyush Pandey, who started his journey in 1982 with Ogilvy & Mather India (now Ogilvy India) as a trainee account executive before transitioning to the creative side, passed away today at the age of 70. His demise has left the industry in shock, with many colleagues and friends sharing memories of his brilliance.
For Harish Bijoor, Brand Guru & Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, the passing of Piyush Pandey is a deeply personal loss, as Piyush was not just a legendary creative genius, but also a friend and mentor.
Bijoor shared, “We sat together on a common board for a long period of time. We also interacted on various advisory boards, including government and quasi-government initiatives. It was always a pleasure bumping into him and exchanging thoughts.”
Bijoor described Pandey as a pure genius, whose understanding of the Indian consumer was unmatched.
“Our advertising and marketing lives are not keen on understanding rustic consumer insight the way he was. He would seamlessly take that insight and turn it into creative advertising that resonated deeply.”
“In many ways, he thought in Hindi, and in literally every part of the language distinctions that govern India, possibly even Bhojpuri. That has been the beauty of Piyush Pandey — he did not think like an English advertising man; he thought as a desi advertising man in desi India. That struck a chord with people and consumers alike.”
Bijoor highlighted Pandey’s genius across campaigns, “It was everywhere, whether it was a chewing gum campaign that lit up streets or a chocolate campaign that had people jumping hoops at a cricket match. Each piece reflected his brilliance.”
Beyond his professional acumen, Pandey’s colorful personality left a lasting impression.
“I always admired his very colorful shirts, Piyush was a colorful persona in every sense of the word,” Bijoor recalled.
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