New Delhi: Brands, products, logos are sometimes more than just that –ever so often they form a core part of our childhood nostalgia. One such image is that of the iconic child in Murphy Radio that captured the imagination of the entire nation decades ago.

The iconic picture of a baby in the print ads of Murphy radio was one of the most famous advertisements in the world of Indian radio during the 1970s and 1980s. This ad had boosted the sales of the radio set tremendously at one time. The print advertisements, which showed a plump-cheeked baby with a finger pressed against his lip, quickly won over Indian families.

The entire nation was asking the same question –who that baby was that made on the ads of the radio set?

Who Is The Cute Baby That Featured As Murphy Radio’s Iconic Mascot?

Murphy Radio was one of the first radio brands in the Indian market that became a household name for the kid featured in it. The iconic image of the baby in its ads became a national sensation at that time. The plump little child piqued everyone’s interest in learning his identity. Well, the chubby toddler is Kagyur Tulku Rinpoche who married yesteryear star Mandakini.

Story Of The Shoot And How The Cute Little Baby Became Synonymous With Murphy Radio

In a media interview Rinpoche said that he was three years old at the time of the shooting and had no memory of it. As a child he used to reside in Manali. The advertisement was widely known in Manali. The original Murphy baby, a girl, had passed away, so the makers wanted him to appear in the commercial. They were searching for someone identical. He also said that because the advertisement was so well-known, some people still remember the baby and are shocked to learn that it was him. 

Renowned photographer J P Singhal both took and composed the photo. Interestingly, he was also the one who took the photo for his wife’s portfolio for her debut movie, Ram Teri Ganga Maili. GP Singhal used a few candid photos of Rinpoche playing in his Manali home’s garden and used it in the radio advertisement.

Story Of The Murphy Baby’s Iconic Status

The healthy and attractive Rinpoche baby who starred in Murphy radio commercials came to represent the brand. The commercial turned into one of the era’s most iconic product logos. Right from younger people to the older ones, everyone was fascinated by the three-year-old Rinpoche. During that period, a lot of mothers or expectant mothers were captivated by the kid. The child’s face was commonly displayed on calendars and posters in maternity homes, gynecologist clinics, and individual people’s homes. The baby was such inch-perfect that one of the most common admonitions directed towards attractive, well-groomed kids was “Murphy baby.” 

Kagyur Tulku Rinpoche Married Mandakini, Has Two Children

Later, Kagyur Tulku Rinpoche relocated to a monastery, where he spent 20 years as a monk. In 1990, Rinpoche married Ram Teri Ganga Maili-famed Mandakini. Together the couple has a son Rabbil and a daughter Rabze. Rinpoche owns and operates a Tibetan medicine center with his wife Mandakini. He is a follower of the Dalai Lama and has always backed the Tibetan cause.