The Dronacharya of Indian advertising: Murali Krishnan pays tribute to Piyush Pandey

From creative veterans to new-age entrepreneurs, the passing of Piyush Pandey has left a deep void across India’s advertising and marketing fraternity. Among the many who drew inspiration from him is Murali Krishnan, Co-founder & CMO of Wow! Momo, who credits Pandey for giving Indian advertising its truest and most authentic voice.

“For me, Piyush Pandey’s greatest gift was that he gave Indian advertising its own voice,” Krishnan told e4m. “He brought in the sound of real India — the rhythm of our streets, our laughter, our idioms, our culture, our folk… Suddenly, ads didn’t talk at us; they spoke like us. That changed the DNA of the industry forever.”

Krishnan, who had known Pandey since 2014, says his admiration began much earlier, back when he was in the 10th grade.

“I have wanted to be in advertising since I was in school,” he shared. “I still have a poster of Piyush in my old house closet. When I finally met him in person and during our multiple interactions later, I kept reminding him how a 15-year-old had his poster on his cupboard instead of Samantha Fox! He would always laugh at that.”

For Krishnan, the loss is not only a professional one but also deeply personal. “This is not just a loss to the world of advertising — it’s a very close personal loss,” he said.

Calling Pandey a “Dronacharya to the industry,” Krishnan said his teachings shaped generations of creative minds. “Whoever worked with him turned out to be a maverick. His biggest mantra was to respect and love the language, culture, and nuances of the people we sell to. No one has ever been closer to the consumer than him.”

As Krishnan reflects, the industry has lost not just a creative legend, but its most human storyteller. “This isn’t just a loss for the advertising world,” he said. “It’s a personal loss — one that leaves a void no one can fill.”

Adding to this, he said, “His creative style was deeply human, stories we grew up hearing, told with intimacy and instinct. Not how India looks on a deck, but how it feels and breathes in real life, the smell of a chai stall, the warmth of a mother’s scolding, the pride in a rickshaw-wallah’s eyes. It was personal, poetic, and entertaining, that’s what worked, and still works.”