Raghunandan Srinivas Kamath, the founder of one of India's leading ice cream brands, Naturals Ice Cream, passed away at the age of 70. Known as the "ice cream man of India," Kamath breathed his last at Mumbai's H N Reliance Foundation Hospital on the evening of May 17 following a brief illness. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Kamath's life story is a source of inspiration for many. Coming from a humble background, he overcame numerous challenges to build an empire valued at over ₹400 crores. Born and raised in Mulki, a town in the Mangalore taluk of Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka, Kamath moved to Mumbai at the age of 14. There, he started working at his brother's South Indian restaurant, earning a modest income.

Kamath’s entrepreneurial journey began on February 14, 1984, when he founded Naturals Ice Cream with just four employees and a few basic ingredients. His knowledge of fruits, acquired from helping his father in the fruit trade during his childhood, played a crucial role in developing the brand's unique flavors. Initially, Naturals offered only 12 varieties of ice cream, all leveraging his expertise in fruits.

To attract customers, Kamath employed a clever strategy of selling ice cream alongside pav bhaji, a popular Indian street food. This innovative approach was highly successful and helped draw large crowds. By 2020, Naturals Ice Cream had grown to 135 locations across India. The first year of operation saw his small Juhu shop generating an impressive ₹5 lakh in revenue.