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.
Brands
Ekart expands IKEA partnership with EV deliveries in Chennai
3PL to handle 600 plus products with 48 hour delivery via EV fleet.
MUMBAI: Flatpacks are going electric and your sofa might now arrive with a smaller carbon footprint. Ekart has expanded its partnership with IKEA to power last-mile deliveries in Chennai, doubling down on speed, scale and sustainability in one of India’s key urban markets. Under the collaboration, Ekart will manage end-to-end large-format deliveries for IKEA across the city using a 100 per cent dedicated electric vehicle fleet. The move makes Chennai the second major market after NCR-Delhi where Ekart handles IKEA’s last-mile logistics, signalling a broader rollout of EV-led supply chains.
The mandate is no small load. Ekart will oversee deliveries for over 600 products from IKEA’s catalogue, ranging from furniture to home décor—categories that demand specialised handling and precision logistics.
Backed by its technology-driven fulfilment network, Ekart is targeting deliveries within a 48-hour window, offering real-time tracking and end-to-end visibility from warehouse to doorstep. The focus is clear: faster turnarounds without compromising on control or customer experience.
The EV-first model also aligns with both companies’ sustainability goals, as urban logistics increasingly shifts towards zero-emission solutions. For IKEA, which continues to expand its omnichannel presence in India, reliable and eco-conscious last-mile delivery is becoming central to scale.
For Ekart, the partnership reinforces its positioning as an enterprise-grade logistics player in large-format commerce. The company already supports over 1,800 retail, D2C and enterprise brands, spanning last-mile delivery, part-truckload services and warehousing.
As India’s logistics ecosystem evolves, this collaboration highlights a growing trend: delivery is no longer just about distance, it’s about efficiency, experience and increasingly, emissions.
