Prabhakar Kamath, founder of the Ideal Ice Cream brand and the famous Pabbas’ Ice Cream Parlour in Mangaluru, passed away on Saturday morning in Mangaluru. Prabhakar had suffered head injuries when he was hit by a scooter in an accident in Bejai, Mangaluru on October 28. He succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in the city.
In 1975, Prabhakar had founded the Ideal Ice Cream brand in Mangaluru. It became one of the popular ice cream brands in coastal Karnataka and across the state. He started Ideal with its first shop on Hampankatta Road in 1975 serving 14 different flavours of ice cream. It was located at the heart of the city near Wenlock Hospital at the time. Its retail network now stretches across coastal Karnataka, north Kerala and south Goa.
The famous Ice Cream Parlour Pabbas on MG Road in Mangaluru is an outlet of Ideal Ice Cream. Prabhakar was fondly called 'Pabba Maam', a name that was given to the ice cream parlour opened in 1996.
Pabbas was popular for the Gadbad Ice Cream, which is served in a tall transparent glass. Over the last two decades, it has become a landmark in Mangaluru. Earlier this year, Pabbas Ideal cafe was opened on the ground floor of Bharath Mall in Mangaluru. Prabhakar's son Mukund Kamath is now the proprietor of Ideal Ice Cream.
On October 28, fake news had circulated online that Prabhakar Kamath had passed away following the accident, and his family issued a clarification that he was injured in the accident.
BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel MP, state ministers S Angara, Kota Srinivas Poojary, MLAs Vedyavyas Kamath, U T Khader, Bharat Y Shetty and former minister B Ramanath Rai condoled the demise of Prabhakar.
Many people from Mangaluru and other parts of coastal Karnataka too paid their tributes to Prabhakar Kamath after news of his death emerged.
Shri Prabhakar Kamath, founder of 'Ideal Icecream' in Mangalore passed away this morning. Anybody who visited Mangalore surely know of famous Ice cream parlor 'Pabbas' which is named after him. His contribution in making Mangalore famous for Icecreams is immense. Om Shanthi pic.twitter.com/qaW8dm2c1L
— Kishor Bhat (@KishorPolya) November 6, 2021
Received on whatsapp that Prabhakar Kamath, known as Pabba, and founder of the famous Ideal ice-cream/Pabbas in Mangalore is no more.
— Manish (@paap_singer) November 6, 2021
I will relish a gudbud ice-cream in your name, next time I visit. Thank You sir. RIP.