Vasuki Punj- The Entrepreneurs of India Magazine

Vasuki Punj did not step into entrepreneurship by chance. Her story stretches across years of study, travel, and work that slowly shaped her into someone who wanted to build something she could call her own. She studied law at Symbiosis and went on to complete her master’s at NYU. For more than ten years she worked across human rights, policy and arbitration. Her early years with Human Rights Watch took her through conflict affected regions in India. Later, she worked with the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and then moved into international arbitration before co founding a legal tech company.

Even with a steady career, she felt a quiet pull inside her. She knew she wanted to create something personal, something that would last, although she had no idea which direction that desire would take. Everything shifted during a casual trip to Goa around 2019. She tasted a scoop of gelato that carried her straight back to Italy. It was so intentional and flavour rich that it caught her off guard. That single moment stayed with her long after the holiday ended. She began reading about the frozen dessert market in India and it became clear that the premium gelato space had a huge gap. The desire to build had always been there. Now she finally had clarity.

Frozen Fun took shape in 2022. She started with the idea of clean label, small batch gelato made with care and honesty. The brand opened its first stores in Delhi NCR and slowly expanded to Mumbai. Today there are fifteen stores, each one carrying the same belief that good food can lift a person’s day in a simple yet strong way. “We want to give people these tiny moments of joy in the middle of everything else” she says.

Her journey also came with mistakes. She admits that no amount of study can completely prepare anyone for running a business. Real learning begins once you are inside it. She spent a lot of time researching the space and meeting people who had built similar ventures, and even then she stumbled many times. Some mistakes were small. Some cost her much more. The only thing she focused on was not repeating them. In a customer facing space she kept her eyes and ears open. “Listen to your customers. They will always tell you the truth if you are ready to hear it.”

She believes the people around you decide how far your business travels. A strong mindset matters more than a long resume. She looks for team members who take ownership and care about the work even on days when everything feels tough. Along with that, she places great weight on resilience. The business environment throws surprises every single week. You cannot predict everything. You can only stay steady and solve what is in front of you.

Family support shaped her journey as well. Many people told her she should stay with her legal career and not risk starting from zero. Her husband was the one who pushed her to go for it. Her parents trusted her too, even though this path was completely new to them. That belief helped her take the jump.

One of her biggest hurdles has been frozen logistics. Gelato needs strict temperature control and cannot be refrozen without losing its texture. She spent countless hours studying cold chain systems and testing ideas with partners. Many partners were reluctant to make changes since gelato volumes are still small in India. She kept experimenting until she found workable systems. The team still keeps improving them every day.

Frozen Fun today is built on simple joys. Every batch is made in small quantities at their gelato lab by Italian chefs. The brand focuses on clean label recipes and ingredients from around the world. What customers feel is trust, comfort and a small break from routine. “Sit with yourself and get clear on why you want to build something” she says. “If you feel it in your gut, then do it.”