Ashok Das was a man of immense conviction, quiet confidence and unwavering integrity

Manish Porwal, Group Managing Director of Alchemist Marketing Solutions, remembers Ashok Das as one of the finest and the most beautiful minds in the Indian research industry

by Manish Porwal
Published: Jun 26, 2026 3:18 PM | 2 min read

Ashok Das, a prominent figure in the Indian research industry, passed away, leaving a significant impact on colleagues and the field.
He led Hansa to become a respected name known for credibility and rigor, and was recognized for his integrity and quiet confidence.
Das played a crucial role in the development of CelebTrack, the world's largest celebrity research study, which became a benchmark in the industry.
He was admired for his ability to balance business objectives with research integrity, and is remembered as a mentor, collaborator, and leader in the research community.

Yesterday, we lost not just a respected industry colleague, but I lost someone who played a defining role in shaping a chapter of my own professional journey.

Ashok Das was one of the finest and the most beautiful minds in the Indian research industry. Under his leadership, Hansa became synonymous with credibility and rigour. But beyond the titles and achievements, Ashok was a man of immense conviction, quiet confidence and unwavering integrity.

I had the privilege of working very closely with him on what went on to become the world’s largest celebrity research study. CelebTrack, that started as an ambitious idea in my head, perhaps even an audacious one, got executed only because of his shared belief

When I was the CEO at Percept Talent Management and had sustained interest in the celebrity/talent business, I realised that celebrity brand marriages were a living-room or boardroom decision, and not a rational or logical one. I took the idea of co-creating a research on celebrities’ efficacy and their specific impact for various brand categories to several research agencies, but Ashok was the only one who saw merit in partnering it.

Together, we created and nurtured it into a benchmark for the industry—not only in terms of its scale and commercial success, but also for the respect and recognition it earned across brands, agencies, press and the entertainment ecosystem.

What I will remember most is not just what we built, but how we built it. Ashok believed in asking the right questions, never compromising on the quality of insights, and balancing the business objective with the objectivity of the research. He combined intellectual rigour with remarkable humility—an increasingly rare combination.

He was generous with his trust, calm in the face of challenges, and always willing to back a bold idea if he believed in its merit. Those qualities made him not only a great leader, but also a wonderful collaborator.

The research industry today has lost one of its true torchbearers. Many of us have lost a mentor, a colleague and a friend.

Thank you, Ashok, for your partnership, your wisdom and your faith in what we could create together. The work we built will endure, but even more enduring will be the example you set for all of us.

Rest in peace, sir