MAM
Vijaypat Singhania, former Raymond chairman, dies at 87
Padma Bhushan awardee and record-breaking aviator leaves behind a towering legacy in Indian industry.
MUMBAI: The man who once took Raymond to new heights and literally soared higher than anyone in a hot air balloon has flown his final journey. Former Raymond chairman Vijaypat Singhania died peacefully in Mumbai on Saturday evening at the age of 87. His son Gautam Singhania, the group’s current chairman and managing director, announced the news on X. The last rites will be performed on Sunday, a Raymond Group spokesperson confirmed.
A recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Singhania was not only a prominent industrialist but also a passionate aviator who held a world record for the highest altitude gained in a hot air balloon. He steered Raymond as chairman for two decades until 2000. After handing over leadership to Gautam, he transferred his entire 37 per cent stake in the company to his son.
Singhania and Gautam were once embroiled in public legal disputes, but the family later resolved their differences.
From building a textile empire to chasing records in the skies, Vijaypat Singhania lived a life marked by ambition and altitude. In an industry known for sharp turns, his journey was one that truly rose above the ordinary.
