Vijaypat Singhania

Vijaypat Singhania
Singhania (right) receiving the Padma Bhushan from A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in 2006
Sheriff of Mumbai
In office
19 December 2005 – 18 December 2006
Preceded bySadruddin Daya
Succeeded byIndu Shahani
Personal details
Born1938 (age 85–86)
NationalityIndian
ChildrenMadhupati, Gautam[1]
OccupationBusinessman & Aviator
Known for• Being former Chairman & Managing Director of Raymond Group
• World Record for highest altitude gained travelling in a hot air balloon at the age of 67
AwardsTenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (2001)
Padma Bhushan (2006)

Vijaypat Singhania (born 1938) is a businessman and aviator from India. A member of the prominent Singhania family, he is well-known as a textile magnate, having been chairman and managing director of the Raymond Group from 1980–2000. In flight, he holds the world record for highest altitude gained in a hot air balloon as of 2023, and also set a microlight endurance record in 1988 by flying from London to Delhi in 23 days. He has authored a book-length memoir, the story of his microlight flight, and his autobiography.

The Government of India has given him two awards, the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for his aviation exploits in 2001, and the Padma Bhushan for his achievements overall in 2006.[2][3] In addition, the Indian Air Force made him an Honorary Air Commodore in 1994.[4] Mumbai named him the 2006 Sheriff of Mumbai.[5]

In 2015, he gave his entire 37% stake in Raymond Group to his younger son and then-chairman of Raymond Gautam Singhania. This was the start of a widely-publicized and long-running feud in Singhania's family over various matters stemming from the transfer.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference arun-2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference tribune-2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Vijaypat Singhania IIM-A board chairman". The Times of India. 17 December 2005. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Who is Vijaypat Singhania?". The Indian Express. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Singhania to be sworn-in as Mumbai Sheriff". The Times of India. 17 December 2005. Retrieved 9 July 2023.