Veteran industrialist who transformed Raymond Group and pursued aviation feats passes away in Mumbai
Vijaypat Singhania, Padma Bhushan awardee and former chairman of the Raymond Group, has died in Mumbai at the age of 87, the company confirmed on Saturday. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Raymond Group said Singhania “peacefully passed away earlier this evening in Mumbai”, adding that his last rites would be held on 29 March 2026.
The company described him as a figure whose contributions spanned industry, aviation and public life.
Singhania’s life traced the arc of post-independence Indian enterprise, marked by both corporate transformation and personal daring. Born on 4 October 1938 into the prominent Singhania family, he would go on to lead Raymond during a pivotal period of growth, shaping it into one of India’s most recognisable textile brands.
He served as Chairman and Managing Director of the Raymond Group from 1980 to 2000, a tenure during which the company expanded beyond traditional textiles into a diversified industrial conglomerate. Under his leadership, the brand became synonymous with quality and refinement in Indian fashion, while also venturing into synthetic fabrics, denim, steel, industrial files and cement.
His approach reflected a wider ambition to position Indian industry on a global footing, even as shifting economic conditions later tested the breadth of that expansion. The core identity of Raymond, however, remained closely associated with his leadership.
Alongside his business career, Singhania pursued aviation with unusual intensity. Inspired by figures such as Howard Hughes and J. R. D. Tata, he accumulated more than 5,000 hours of flying experience by 2003.
In 1988, he completed a solo microlight flight from London to New Delhi over 23 days, setting a speed-over-time endurance record. Six years later, he won a gold medal at the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale’s around-the-world air race, flying with American co-pilot Daniel Brown in a Cessna Conquest aircraft.
His most notable achievement came in November 2005, when, at the age of 67, he ascended to approximately 69,000 feet in a hot air balloon. The flight, which began from a Mumbai racecourse, took him into extreme conditions, with temperatures dropping to –93°C inside a pressurised capsule. He landed near Nashik several hours later. The record was certified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale and remained unbroken as of 2023.
Singhania later documented his experiences in a memoir, The Angel in My Cockpit, reflecting on what he described as a lifelong fascination with flight.
His contributions were recognised by the Indian government and institutions. He received the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2001 and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2006. The Indian Air Force appointed him an Honorary Air Commodore in 1994, while Mumbai named him Sheriff in 2006.
Beyond business and aviation, Singhania also played a role in higher education. In 2007, he was appointed Chairman of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, succeeding N. R. Narayana Murthy. His association with the institution dated back to 1991, reflecting a long-standing engagement with management education.
Singhania is survived by his wife, Ashadevi Singhania, and his children Madhupati Singhania, Shephali Ruia and Gautam Hari Singhania.
In its statement, the Raymond Group said it was “deeply saddened” by his passing, acknowledging a legacy that extended across boardrooms, classrooms and the skies.
