Singhania’s Vision: Turning Vidarbha Into A Textile Hub

Nagpur: The passing of Vijaypat Singhania, the visionary industrialist who put India's textile industry on the global map and former chairman of the Raymond Group, has left a deep void in the business world.Known for his bold decisions that transformed the textile sector, Singhania shared with Nagpur a relationship far beyond business — one that was personal and almost familial. His demise has cast a pall of gloom over the entire industrial landscape of Central India.At a time in early 1990s when Vidarbha was starved of large-scale industrial investment, Singhania laid the foundation of Raymond's landmark project at Borgaon in Chhindwara district—just 57km from Nagpur on April 1, 1991. He chose the location after assessing Nagpur's strategic geographical position and its road, rail and air connectivity. Today, the unit is regarded as one of the most modern plants in the world, producing globally acclaimed suiting fabrics.Singhania did not merely set up a factory; he lit the hearth of livelihood in thousands of homes across Vidarbha. The project generated large-scale direct and indirect employment for youth from Nagpur and surrounding rural areas.Beyond jobs, locals were equipped with skills through tailoring and training centres established as part of the initiative. Fabrics produced here are now exported to more than 55 countries, including the United States, Europe and Japan—a testament to Singhania's foresight and global vision.With his passing, Vidarbha has lost not just an industrial pioneer but a mentor and a pillar of support. The Raymond sapling he planted has since spread its roots in Amravati and Yavatmal.