Ayurveda products giant & Vicco chairman Pendharkar dies at 85
27-May-24 04:58:57

Nagpur: The Vicco TV jingle on Doordarshan set the nation abuzz in the Eighties sounded subdued on Friday after the company’s chairman Yeshwant Pendharkar, passed away in Nagpur at 85. The last rites of the industry doyen will be performed on Saturday at Nagpur.

Pendharkar’s funeral procession will leave rom the family’s Civil Lines home at 9.30am for Ambazari ghat.

Pendharkar had shifted to Nagpur a year ago, as his son was handling Vicco factory’s operations here. His nephew, Devesh Pendharkar, said, “My uncle was the brain behind marketing of Vicco products and led the advertising campaign.” He added that Pendharkar was also the ‘backbone’ of the company’s legal team.

Devesh said, “With his legal background, Yeshwantji guided our strategies. In fact, one of the cases against the excise department, started in 1978 and Yeshwantji steered the company to a legal victory, which came around three decades later. That victory was one of the greatest achievements of Yeshwantji, among many others.”

A voracious reader, Yeshwant was a repository of knowledge. Devesh said, “We would go to him for advice on any topic. He was a soft-spoken person, who never raised his voice against anyone. The entire Vicco family will miss him dearly ."

A lover of spicy food, Yeshwant loved to chew down raw green chillies during dinner, all through his life. “All Pendharkar brothers loved spicy food, but without doubt, Yeshwantji was at the top,” said Devesh. Vicco founder Keshav had five sons — Gajanan, Yeshwant, Sumant, Jayant and Ashok.

Devesh said, “The first unit was started in early 1950s, and Gajanan and Yeshwant joined the business in the sixties. While Gajanan was a pharmacist, who handled the product formulations, Yeshwant completed his LLB and handled the legal and advertising side of the business.” Of the five brothers, three are no more.

SOURCE & CREDIT: TIMES OF INDIA