Pradeep Guha combined creativity with business sense–and a big heart | Mumbai News – Times of India

Pradeep Guha wasn’t a tall man – physically. But in terms of stature, his was a towering presence. He was one of a rare breed who married a deep understanding of the creative process with a hard head for business. He was also a natural leader—tough and exacting, and at the same time, empathetic and supportive. He engendered lifelong loyalties, nurtured lifelong relationships.
He sought to do the same with brands. Yes, they were meant to make money, but he also knew the importance of building brands that withstood the vicissitudes of time and transaction—through love and emotion, and through connections that felt personal.
Pradeep was already a big name in media when I first met him. He had helped build Response—the ad sales function of The Times of India’s parent company BCCL—into a formidable force. India had just made an abortive bid to host Asia’s largest biennial advertising congress, and responding to a senior industry CEO’s acerbic remark that we should stop bidding for these marquee international conferences because we could never win them, Pradeep Guha and Goutam Rakshit decided to pick up the gauntlet to bring Ad Asia, as it’s called, to India in 2003. I was roped in, and thus began a relationship as industry compatriots and dear friends. He worked like a man possessed. No detail was too small, no potential speaker or sponsor too big. And he did what he set out to. He made Ad Asia 2003 the most memorable marketing and communications (marcom) event of its time.

Pradeep was an advertising industry man to the core. The world knew Cannes for its film festival, Pradeep made its ad fest almost as famous among Indians; if Cannes became an annual pilgrimage for the creative fraternity, it was thanks to him.
He helped bring zip and zing to the Filmfare and Femina magazines in the 1990s, and to their awards shows and beauty pageants. Several of Femina Miss India’s winners went on to become Miss World and Miss Universe. He was also closely involved with the launch of Bombay Times. All with a sharp eye on brand-building.
He is probably the only marcom professional to straddle print, electronic and digital the way he did. He joined Zee as CEO, and during his tenure, it rose to leadership position. He also flirted with producing films but realized it was not his cup of tea.
Along the way, he received more honours and headed more industry bodies, both Indian and international, than one can count. He was to be inducted into the Asian Federation of Advertising Association’s Hall of Fame in 2019 but since Ad Asia was held in Lahore, it was held back and would have been presented to him in Macau this year.
If Pradeep the Professional was remarkable, Pradeep the Person was wonderful. His somewhat reserved demeanor could initially be mistaken by some as arrogance, but I can vouch for the fact that he was one of the kindest men I’ve had the privilege of knowing. He was a man with a big heart, always ready to help a friend or a colleague in need. His annual Diwali party at home was testimony to his many, many long and lasting friendships across the spectrum.
He was truly one of a kind. Early-August when he told me about his ailment and swore me to secrecy, I was sure this was one more battle he would win.
We had a ritual where I celebrated his birthday every June at a restaurant with just him and Papia, Goutam and Vidita, Devi and I. This year we couldn’t because of Covid restrictions, and Goutam was no more. I called him and promised him that I would host a big party next year for the youngest 70-year-old I would know. Well, Heaven had better prepare for some mega events. Pradeep Guha has just entered the premises.

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