Vintage Advertisements from India

First Online:  April 23, 2000
Last Updated: January 13, 2026

© K. L. Kamat

Introduction to Advertisements from India

In India, a country of diverse population, of over 200 languages and of even more diverse economic background of purchasers, the advertisers face unique challenges. In this online exhibit at Kamat's Potpourri, we showcase some of the old and successful messages conveyed to the public by the advertisers. They include messages to consume Swadeshi (made-in-India) to advertisements for soft drinks (a industry that boomed in India after Coca-cola was ousted in 1977).

All the advertisements are from my father's personal collection, and were collected over a fifty year period. Enjoy!

--Vikas Kamat

Vintage Advertisements of India

1938 Adverisement of Young India Records
	An Advertisement of the Phoenix Saree Company, 1940s
An Advertisement of the Phoenix Saree Company, 1940
	Advertisement of Amul Butter
Advertisement for Half-tone Blocks Advertisement from 1938 Congress Party Souvenir
	Advertisement of a Panacea An advertisement from 1930s for a vitalizing tonic
Advertisement for Medicine for Plague A 1930s advertisement from India
	Advertisement of Raleigh Bicycle
Advertisement of Air India
	Agreement in Diversity A Parle-Crackjack advertisement from 1980s
Art from Tourist Brochure of Maharashtra Brochure shows motifs of Ajanta, Aurangabad and the Western Ghats
	Be Indian, Buy Indian Swadeshi Advertisement from Kalyan Mills
Cinema Cutouts, Bangalore
	Clothes by Mail Order! Advertisement of a Cotton Mill during 1950s
"Don`t forget the Cherry Blossoms!" Advertisement for a shoe polish, 1980
	Hamara Bajaj! Advertisement of a Scooter shows a pillion rider carrying a cot (charpai)
Housewife from Gujarat Detail from advertisement postcard mailed to clothing retailers, 1940s
	Indian Haircare Tonic Advertisement for Amritamalaka Herbal Oil
Indian woman -- from a picture postcard
	A lady spinning yarn Gandhiji used spinning as a powerful weapon to drive home the importance of self-reliance
Picture from a Saree Catalog
	A Prize Winning Entry From Limca Poster Contest 1980
A Saree Advertisement of 1950s from Phoenix Company
	Swadeshi Advertisement Detail from a 1940s picture postcard; artist unknown
Unity in Diversity A Parle-Crackjack advertisement from 1980s

See Also:

• Bazar Graphics of India
• Designs and Motifs from India