Singhania's 'mission impossible'

Raymond's chairman emeritus to attempt highest balloon flight.

Vijaypat Singhania is reaching for the skies again. But this time the 67-year-old textiles baron is attempting to "touch the face of God" by becoming the first man to fly a hot air balloon to a height of 70,000 feet above sea level, a world record. The endeavour is titled MI 70K (Mission Impossible 70K).

Describing this as his greatest challenge in life, Raymond's chairman emeritus on Tuesday told newspapers in Mumbai: "I have been adventurous all my life. I love taking risks and I like challenges. My latest mission is to achieve the highest altitude record in a hot-air balloon flight. I did consider other countries like Australia for my take-off but decided to do it from my home town, Mumbai, in November."

An aviator for four decades, Singhania aims at breaking the existing world record for high altitude in a hot air balloon held by Per Lindstrand, who reached a height of 64,997 feet at Plano, Texas, on June 6, 1998. Singhania's flight is expected to last for five hours.

Singhania declined to divulge how much the project would cost but added that several crore rupees were being involved. If Singhania achieves MI 70K, it will be his third aviation record.

In 1988, he undertook the fastest solo flight in a microlight aircraft from the UK to India, making it to the Guinness Book of World Records. In 1994, he won the Federation Aeronautique Internationale's (FAI's) gold medal in a flying race around the world.

Starting and ending in Montreal (Canada), he flew in his turboprop Cessna Conquest, racing in 32 minutes ahead of his nearest rival. Singhania is being aided by balloonists Andy Elson and Colin Prescot of Flying Pictures, the UK company that makes balloons. The air balloon, the biggest so far, will travel at a speed of 10 miles an hour. If it hits a building, the building would crack.

"I have been thinking of doing something like this for 7-8 years now but because of infrastructure inconvenience and technological obstacles such a feat was difficult. But now things having changed and I see it as a possibility," Singhania said.

After Singhania's flight, the balloon will be kept at Nehru Centre in Mumbai.

Next on his agenda "" flying Roziere, a helium balloon, and breaking the record of 1.13 lakh feet set by a US pilot in 1982.