‘Complete man’ Vijaypat Singhania dies

previous Raymond President Vijaypat SinghaniaA corporate magnate and record-breaking pilot who embodied his brand’s famous slogan “The Complete Man” passed away in Mumbai on Saturday night. He is 87 years old. He was admitted to hospital on Friday as his health deteriorated due to age-related ailments. He will be cremated at Chandanwadi Crematorium on Sunday. Singhania comes from a prominent business family and served as Raymond CMD for more than two decades.67-year-old sets world record in hot air balloonSinghania was a former Mumbai police chief and an avid pilot.The Vijaypat Singhania family acquired the company from ED Sassoon & Co in 1944, when it was primarily a manufacturer of woolen blankets. Under his leadership, Raymond grew into a diversified conglomerate, expanding into synthetic fibers, denim, steel, industrial files and cement, while also becoming one of India’s most recognized apparel brands.In his final years as chairman, the company came under financial pressure as the recession affected its steel and cement businesses, and it was eventually sold. He subsequently handed over leadership to his son Gautam Singhania, who served as honorary chairman for a period.He is survived by his wife Ashadevi and children Gautam, Madhupati and Shephali Ruia. His relationship with Madhupati was strained over business units, and in later years he and Gautam also had differences over certain assets.In November 2005, at the age of 67, he set a world record by ascending to an altitude of 69,000 feet in a hot air balloon, taking off from Mumbai Racecourse in a pressurized cabin and landing near Nashik after a flight of about five hours.