Vijaypat Singhania

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 is the author of two book-length memoirs, 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. In addition, the Indian Air Force made him an Honorary Air Commodore in 1994. Mumbai named him the 2006 Sheriff of Mumbai. 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. Business