The connection between the iconic Amul girl and Shashi Tharoor lies in his family's history with the brand. Tharoor's sisters, Shobha and Smita, were both featured as the Amul baby in its early print advertisements.

In 1961, Amul's advertising agency, ASP (Advertising & Sales Promotion Ltd), was searching for a baby to represent their milk powder in a new advertising campaign. After reviewing 712 photos, Sylvester da Cunha, the creative head of ASP, approached Shashi Tharoor's father, who was acquainted with him through the Advertising Club of Bombay. Da Cunha requested a picture of his baby, and Shobha Tharoor was chosen to be the first Amul baby.

A year later, when Amul decided to create a color picture for their next ad campaign, Shobha was too old to pose. Thus, Smita, Shashi Tharoor's younger sister, became the first color Amul baby.

The Amul ads featuring Shobha and Smita were widely distributed in newspapers and displayed as posters in grocery stores across India. Years later, Smita was surprised to find her baby picture still displayed in a rural provision shop.

Shashi Tharoor also found himself in Amul's advertisements, albeit in a different way. Amul is known for its topical cartoon ads that humorously comment on current events and public figures. After Tharoor entered politics, he was regularly featured in these "Amul Topicals". These cartoon ads often lampooned him, showcasing Amul's signature wit and humor.

Tharoor humorously noted that his father would have been delighted to see his son featured on Amul hoardings. He said his father would have been happy that he had finally "caught up" with his sisters.