Raghupati Singhania is MD and vice-chairman of JK Industries

New Delhi: Raghupati Singhania, managing director, JK Industries Ltd (JKI), has become the vice-chairman and managing director of the company, the manufacturer of the well-known JK Tyre and Vikrant tyre brands.

Under his leadership, JK Tyre, which started production with 5 lakh tyres in 1977, has become India's tyre giant today with production in excess of 57 lakh tyres per year. The pioneers of radial technology in India, JK Tyre is the foremost manufacturer of four-wheeler tyres, with a larger share in the bus and truck segment. The merged company shall further strengthen its market leadership and in a year's time plans to touch a turnover of Rs 2,500 crore, which is expected to increase to Rs 5,000 crore by 2006.

Singhania, with over two decades of contribution to the tyre industry, has again set a new benchmark by becoming the first Indian tyre manufacturer with a global vision. JK Tyre is not only the largest exporter of tyres, with presence in all the six continents in the world, but is the first Indian tyre-maker to sell tyres in China under its own JK Tyre brand.

Singhania, the chairman of Automotive Tyre manufacturers Association (ATMA), has been associated with various JK group companies apart from serving on various apex chambers of commerce and industry in India. He has also led a number of delegations to various countries across the globe.