Gautam Singhania is an Indian entrepreneur and industrialist who is known to be the chairman and managing director of the textile company Raymond Ltd. He is considered to be one of the popular business tycoons in India who has made a significant impact in a range of sectors, including textiles, automobiles, education, and real estate.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Gautam Vijaypat Singhania was born on Thursday, 9 September 1965 (age 58 years; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Virgo. He attended the Cathedral and John Connon School and St. Mary’s School in Mumbai. Later, he pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the H. R. College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai. [1]Raymond Gautam holds a degree in business administration from the University of Michigan.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 9″
Weight (approx.): 80 kg
Hair Colour: Salt & Pepper
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Gautam belongs to a Marwari industrialist family.
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Vijaypat Singhania, and his mother’s name is Ashabai Singhania; Vijaypat is a businessman and an aviator.
Gautam Singhania with his parents
Gautam has an elder brother named Madhupati Singhania, who runs a consultancy film, and a sister named Shephali Singhania Ruia, who is a director at A. B. Color Private Limited.
Gautam Singhania’s sister, Shephali Singhania Ruia
In December 1998, Madhupati got separated from his family after which he left his ancestral home in Mumbai and moved to Singapore with his wife and four children. The reason for his relocation is reported to be a decade-long family dispute over properties; however, some sources claim that Madhupati relocated to Singapore because he believed it to be beneficial for his career. [2]Mint
Wife & Children
Gautam Singhania got married to Nawaz Modi, a fitness trainer, on 22 February 1999. The couple was later blessed with two daughters, Niharika, and Nisa.
Gautam Singhania and Nawaz Modi Singhania on their wedding day
Gautam Singhania and Nawaz Modi Singhania with their daughters, Niharika and Nisa
On 13 November 2023, Gautam announced his separation from Nawaz through a post on social media. Nawaz later demanded 75% of Raymond Gourp’s Rs 11,000 crore empire in a family settlement following their divorce. Gautam, however, reportedly recommended creating a family trust and transferring the family’s assets to it, with him serving as the only managing trustee. [3]Mint
Other Relatives
Gautam Singhania’s great-grandfather, Lala Kamlapat Singhania (1884-1937), was an Indian industrialist who founded the J. K. Organisation, one of India’s largest conglomerate companies, in 1918. Gautam’s great-grandmother’s name is Rampyari Singhania (deceased).
Gautam Singhania’s great-grandfather, Lala Kamlapat Singhania (1884-1937)
Gautam’s grandfather, Lala Kailashpat Singhania (1907-1969), was an industrialist. He founded many companies under the J. K. Organisation.
Gautam Singhania’s grandfather, Lala Kailashpat Singhania
Religion
Gautam Singhania follows Hinduism. [4]The Economic Times
Signature/Autograph
Gautam Singhania’s signature
Gautam Singhania’s autograph
Career
Gautam joined the Singhania family’s JK Group company in 1986. He then joined the family’s Raymond Group and became the director in 1990; Raymond Limited was first incorporated as the Raymond Woolen Mill in 1925 near Thane Creek. Lala Kailashpat Singhania took over The Raymond Woolen Mill in the year 1944. Gautam was appointed as the managing director of the group in July 1999 and the chairman in September 2000. He soon initiated a strategic restructuring of the group by divesting non-core businesses such as steel (sold in September 2000), cement (sold in January 2001), and synthetics. He diversified the group’s portfolio into fabrics, apparel brands, prophylactics (KamaSutra condoms), and men’s toiletries. In 2015, Raymond became the first textile company in the world to produce Super 250s and innovative fabrics. In 2019, Gautam shifted the group’s focus towards real estate and introduced ‘Raymond Realty.’ He announced Raymond Realty’s first project with the first set of 900 apartments to customers of Ten X Habitat, a 3,103-apartment complex on Thane’s Pokhran Road, on the occasion of her daughter Niharika’s 17th birthday, i.e., on 10 December 2022. In April 2023, Gautam sold the KamaSutra brand.
Controversies
Family Feud
Gautam Singhania received his father Vijaypat Singhania’s entire 37.17% stake in Raymond in 2015, which soon led to a family feud. Vijaypat signed his resignation letter on 13 February 2015 and sent it to Gautam. In his autobiography, ‘An Incomplete Life: The Autobiography,’ Vijaypat revealed that he once discussed handing over the Raymond legacy to Gautam with friends in London, who advised against it. Despite concerns, Vijaypat believed that Gautam would not mistreat him. According to Vijaypat, he expected to receive an apartment at his ancestral building, JK House, at Altamount Road, Mumbai, as per a 2007 family agreement. He, however, was shocked to learn that Gautam, in his absence, had asked the board members not to allot him an apartment in JK House. According to Gautam, changes in the company law of 2013 prevented the allotment. When reports of the feud surfaced, Vijaypat accused Gautam of stealing invaluable documents and a gold medal from his cabin at Mahindra Tower in Worli. Gautam, on the other hand, addressed the matter in an interview and denied the allegations, stating that Vijaypat was seeking media attention and cheap publicity. Gautam Singhania said,
I feel extremely pained that at his age, he is involved in denunciations just to gain media mileage and cheap publicity.”
The matter, however, was eventually settled after legal proceedings, which went on for a long period.
Alleged Assault
After Singhania announced his separation from Nawaz, it was reported that he used to abuse Nawaz and their minor daughter. A source close to Nawaz said that Gautam cracked her S3 (sacrum, a wedge-shaped bone in the back of the pelvis between the hip bones) following which she was admitted to the Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai. She allegedly later filed a Non-Cognizable Offense report three times, but Gautam never let the police in his home. It was Ambanis who came to their rescue. On 22 November 2023, Nawaz, in an interview, confirmed that Gautam had assaulted her and kicked her out of the company. She confessed that the first incident happened on the morning of 10 September 2023, after his birthday party which was on the 9th. Gautam beat up, smashed up, kicked, and punched Nawaz and their minor daughter Niharika for around 15 minutes and then suddenly left the scene of the attack. While talking about the incident, in the interview, she said,
I have had two hernia surgeries – one was during the time of my pregnancy and the other was because I had an ectopic pregnancy and had a fallopian tube removed, which resulted in another hernia. He knew that, and still flung me around the room several times. He was just going all out for Niharika and me, and we were just trying to protect each other.”
Nawaz further talked about the reason which triggered the assault and revealed that the fight started because he wanted to use her bathroom. She said that the fight was not actually about the bathroom but power and control. Nawas, moreover, revealed that she did not convert the Non-Cognizable Offense report into an FIR because domestic violence was a non-bailable offence with three years of rigorous imprisonment and hard labour. She said this way she was “trying to save the unsavable hoping he would do the right thing.” [5]Business Today
Award
Gautam Singhania was once conferred with the Maha Udyog Shri award by the Government of Maharashtra for Industrial Excellence. [6]Gautam Singhania – LinkedIn
Car Collection
Gautam Singhania is an avid car lover. He has a collection of swanky cars which includes a 1973 Pontiac Trans AM SD, McLaren 570S, McLaren 720S, Lincoln Zephyr Hotrod, Lotus Elise, Honda S2000, and Ferrari 296 GTB. In July 2023, he added a Maserati MC20 to his car collection.
Super Car Club Garage
Gautam Singhania turned his passion for cars into a business venture with the establishment of the ‘Super Car Club Garage’ (SCCG) in November 2020. Operating under the name ‘GS Designs,’ SCCG specializes in the restoration and customization of ordinary cars, transforming them into luxury vehicles.
A restored 1908 Cartercar Model D Roadster at the Super Car Club Garage
Assets & Properties
Gautam owns JK House in Mumbai which is worth about Rs. 6,000 crore; it is the second most expensive property after Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani’s Antilia which is valued at Rs. 12,000 crore.
A picture of the JK House
A 45 ft. high marble structure has been established outside the JK House; the structure features Gautam’s grandfather, Lala Kailashpat Singhania, sitting on a throne.
The 45 ft. high marble canopy of Gautam’s grandfather, Lala Kailashpat Singhania, outside the JK House in Mumbai
Net Worth
According to an article published in November 2023, Gautam Singhania’s net worth was estimated to be USD 1.4 billion (1,16,73,62,70,000 INR).
Favourites
- Wine: Château Latour Grand Vin, Château Mouton Rothschild, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé
- Actor: Amitabh Bachchan
- Cricketer: Sachin Tendulkar
- Footballer: Lionel Messi
Facts/Trivia
- He also goes by the name Gautam Hari Singhania [7]Gautam Singhania – Instagram and Gautam Hari. [8]Moneycontrol
- He suffered from Vitiligo when he was about 31 years old; Vitiligo is a long-term condition that causes the skin to lose its colour or pigment.
- Gautam consumes alcohol on various occasions.
Gautam Singhania while holding a glass of wine
- He follows a vegetarian diet. [9]UpperCrust India
- Gautam is passionate about planes and yachts. He owns a tri-deck luxury yacht crafted entirely from Burma Teak wood and another luxury yacht named Moonraker. He, moreover, owns a Bombardier Challenger 604 business jet and three helicopters. He had once flown a Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet in Ukraine.
Gautam Singhania while standing in front of the Sukhoi Su-27
- Gautam Singhania has a deep love for sports, especially water sports. He owns various speedboats, each named after James Bond movies, including Goldeneye, Goldfinger, Octopussy, and Thunderball.
Gautam Singhania while jetskiing
- Gautam loves driving, and he finds long drives relaxing.
- Gautam Singhania’s passion for speed extends beyond his love for cars. He has actively participated in various races including the Ferrari 458 Challenge. Gautam was the first Indian driver to win a race in the 2015 Ferrari Challenge Europe Championship. [10]India Today
Gautam Singhania while celebrating his Ferrari Challenge win
- Gautam Singhania has made a significant impact in the education sector by establishing Singhania Quest+ (also spelt as Singhania Quest Plus) in 2020. This initiative addresses the educational and training requirements of students, schools, and professional education. Gautam, moreover, has played a key role in the launch of several educational institutions, including three Singhania International Schools in partnership with the Kaushik Educational Foundation in September 2022.
Gautam Singhania’s Instagram post about launching three Singhania International Schools in collaboration with the Kaushik Educational Foundation in September 2022
References
