A record-setting aviator and Padma Bhushan awardee, Singhania’s life spanned boardroom triumphs and high-altitude feats, making him one of India’s most dynamic industrial figures.
BY PC Bureau
March 28, 2026: Vijaypat Singhania, the visionary industrialist who transformed the Raymond Group into one of India’s most iconic names in suiting and apparel, passed away in Mumbai on Saturday at the age of 87. His family confirmed the news, marking the end of a life defined by bold entrepreneurship, daring adventure, and a commanding public presence that left an enduring imprint on Indian industry.
Born on October 4, 1938, in Kanpur, Singhania was the son of Kailashpat Singhania and part of a prominent business family. The foundations of Raymond had been laid in 1944, when his father acquired a modest woollen mill. Though young Vijaypat initially leaned toward mathematics and science—at one point considering a career in engineering—he ultimately stepped into the family business, answering a call that would shape his life and legacy.
He assumed leadership of Raymond in 1980 following the death of his uncle, G. K. Singhania, and went on to serve as Chairman and Managing Director until 2015. Under his stewardship, Raymond evolved from a traditional textile manufacturer into a global powerhouse. He diversified operations into polyester filament yarn, denim, and engineered fabrics, while cementing the brand’s reputation for premium worsted suiting. Over time, Raymond became one of the world’s largest producers of such fabrics, with a dominant presence in India and a growing international footprint. For generations of Indian consumers, “Raymond” came to symbolize sophistication, craftsmanship, and aspirational elegance.
Yet Singhania’s ambitions were never confined to the boardroom. A passionate aviator, he logged over 5,000 hours in the air and pursued flight with the same intensity he brought to business. In 1998, he completed a solo microlight journey from London’s Biggin Hill to New Delhi in 23 days, setting a world endurance record. In 2005, at the age of 67, he set another world record by reaching the highest altitude in a hot air balloon. These achievements earned him the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, along with international honors from global aviation bodies. The Indian Air Force conferred upon him the honorary rank of Air Commodore, a rare distinction reflecting his contributions to aviation.
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His public life extended beyond business and adventure. In 2005–06, he served as Sheriff of Mumbai, lending his stature to civic duties. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2006 for his contributions to trade, industry, and adventure sports. An advocate of education, he also taught postgraduate management students at the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, where he developed a deeper engagement with economics and commerce.
Singhania was also a writer, authoring books that chronicled his aviation feats and his autobiography, An Incomplete Life, in which he reflected candidly on success, ambition, and personal setbacks.
His later years were marked by complex family dynamics, including a widely discussed transfer of his stake in Raymond to his son, Gautam Singhania, in 2015. While the decision was rooted in trust, Singhania later spoke openly about its personal costs. Despite periods of estrangement, there were also signs of reconciliation in recent years, underscoring the layered and often difficult nature of legacy within business families.
He is survived by his wife, Ashadevi (Ashabai) Singhania, and his children—Madhupati Singhania, Shephali Ruia, and Gautam Singhania. Announcing his father’s passing, Gautam Singhania described him as “a visionary leader, philanthropist, and an inspiring personality whose legacy will continue to guide and inspire generations.”
Beyond balance sheets and boardrooms, Singhania’s influence extended into philanthropy, particularly in education, skill development, and community welfare through family and corporate initiatives. His life mirrored the arc of post-independence Indian enterprise—restless, ambitious, and unafraid to push boundaries.
A towering figure who combined industrial vision with an adventurer’s spirit, Vijaypat Singhania lived a life of altitude—in business, in the skies, and in the imagination of a country finding its modern identity. His story remains both an inspiration and a cautionary tale: of ambition fulfilled, risks embraced, and the human complexities that accompany great success.
His last rites will be held at Chandanwadi crematorium in Mumbai at 3 pm.
He is mourned by his family, the corporate world, and countless admirers who remember not just the man who built an empire of fabric, but the one who spent a lifetime chasing horizons far beyond it.
