Piyush Pandey’s warmth stood out: Bipin R Pandit

Bipin R Pandit, COO of The Advertising Club, goes down the memory lane to remember his various interactions with advertising legend Piyush Pandey

by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 24, 2025 7:32 PM | 4 min read

Anyone who attempts to write about the iconic Piyush Pandey will get confused because you cannot possibly elaborate on one dimension and do justice to the achievements of the stalwart.

There is swimming, cricket, tea testing and many other areas in which he had proficiency. As an advertising legend, he will easily tower above the most celebrated professionals from any part of the world.

Since 1998, when I joined The Advertising Club, till date, I shared a great personal rapport with him. The most stand out attribute of his was the WARMTH and genuine love for people. He will meet the chairman of a company and a man from the he lowest rung with the same warmth. He had a great emotional side to him.

Today, everyone will write about his awards, fabulous creatives, the brands he built, his global status, Padmashree and many other accolades that he earned for the country. But I will dwell upon the personal side of his, which I experienced and cherish the most.

During Ad Asia 2003, I was heading the Secretariat. Piyushji was involved with the designing of the creatives. One day Piyushji and Mr. Pradeep Guha told me more than once to listen to the radio spot created. I went to the cabin of Mr.Pradeep Guha and heard it. The last line of the spot was " Bipin ka number yaad hain na". My phone never stopped ringing.

My Son Neeraj is a huge fan of his since childhood. Those were my early days at Ad Club. I requested Piyushji (Dada as I fondly addressed him) to come home and meet him. He actually did and spend more than an hour with my Son.

When I was writing my first coffee table book on music, I requested him to contribute a piece. He readily agreed and chose a subject not many could even think of "Amitabh as a singer" going further he met the big man thrice and after every meeting he called me to convey that " Tere liye likh raha hoon poore dil se likoonga" and what an article it turned out to be. I placed it as the first chapter of my book.

On completion of 20 years with the Ad Club, I planned a Khumaar supplement for which most of the industry stalwarts wrote a testimonial. The legendary Piyushji wrote one paragraph which I read even today. That paragraph conveyed a lot.

On my special birthday, I requested him to please make a video and send it to me. He made a real classic video and ensured that it reaches me before the scheduled date. I often see it on my YouTube channel.

Once he called me twice to wish me on my Birthday. He got to hear I was in the swimming pool. When I called back he asked me " Phele yeh bata to aadmi hai ya magarmachh" meaning you like a magarmachh live under water.

In May 2025, I came out with my Biography IMPASSIONED Co authored by Gokul Krishnamoorthy for which I requested Piyushji to write the foreword. He said "7 din main tere inbox main Hoga". Needless to state, he kept his word and who can doubt the quality. Creativity oozed out of whatever he touched upon.

I am happy to have performed a mimicry act on two separate occasions when he was in the audience. He did like what he saw and gave a pat on my back with some treasured words of encouragement.

Piyushji is one university which has given thousands of stalwarts to our industry. During our various judging sessions most of the creative professionals recollected their wonderful experience of working with the legend. These were the Pandavas and Kauravas who were trained by this Dronacharya in his GURUKUL. However why I have called him Dronacharya with a difference is because the one from Mahabharat had only one Ekalavya silently adoring him and learning everything about Bow and Archery but in case of Piyushji you will find thousands of Ekalavya's who silently observed, worshipped and learned from him. Further unlike Dronacharya he encouraged young talent imparted knowledge and when they won Awards he patted them irrespective of the Agency the belonged to.

Am happy to have interacted and worked for a long time with professionals of such pedigree as Piyushji, Prasoon Joshi, Balki just to name a few.

PIYUSHJI KI WARMTH KA KHUMAAR NAHIN MILA TOH PHIR KYA MILA.