The last of India's advertising greats

Diwan Arun Nanda (DAN), founder and former chairman of Rediffusion passed away over the weekend.

- SANDEEP GOYAL

Diwan Arun Nanda (DAN), founder and former chairman of Rediffusion passed away over the weekend. He was the last of India's advertising greats, and part of a generation admired and respected by clients for their strategic sharpness and creative savvy.

The first gold-medallist of the very first batch of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad (1966), and the first ever management trainee hired by Hindustan Lever, Nanda was credited with the creation of Rin's "lightning" mnemonic as its brand manager. In 1973, Nanda set up Rediffusion which went on to become India's hottest creative agency over the next two decades—taking home creative awards by the truckful.

The man launched Lakmé, created The Garden Vareli Woman, coined The Zing Thing for Gold Spot, made "Red & White peene walon ki baat hi kuchh aur hai" famous, gave Eveready the "Give Me Red" war cry, appropriated "Whenever you see colour, think of us" for Jenson & Nicholson paints. Arun Nanda challenged the big multinational agencies of the 1970s and 80s by launching India's very own red-hot creative boutique, Rediffusion, making it the most admired ad agency of that era.