Raja Singh, the visionary entrepreneur who brought affordable television sets to millions of Indian households and earned the title 'TV Man of India,' passed away on February 28 in Ludhiana. He was 90 years old.
His eldest son, Kawaljit Singh Oberoi, confirmed that his father died at Ludhiana's DMCH after battling age-related health issues. "Our father passed away peacefully after fighting old-age related complications for some time," Oberoi told The Indian Express.
Raja Singh's journey from a Partition refugee to one of India's most successful electronics entrepreneurs remains an inspiring tale of resilience and determination. Born on February 19, 1936, in Hillan village near Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan), he was just 11 years old when Partition forced his family to migrate to India in 1947.
With no formal education or resources, the young Raja Singh began his life in Delhi as a laborer working with a vegetable vendor. Yet, his entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering determination led him to establish Jupiter Radios in 1961, initially manufacturing affordable radio and transistor sets.
The turning point came in 1972 when Raja Singh ventured into television manufacturing with Texla Electronics. Starting with a modest production of 2,500 TV sets in the first year, Texla soon became a household name across India, particularly in Punjab and Delhi. By the late 1980s to early 2000s, Texla commanded an astounding 95 percent market share in Punjab's TV market.
"Almost every household in Punjab had a Texla TV," recalls Kawaljit, who resides in Ludhiana along with his brothers Inderjit Singh Oberoi and Sukhwinder Singh Oberoi, who run the family business in Dehradun. "My father never had any formal education; it was his sheer hard work and determination that made radio and TV accessible to the common masses in India."
At its peak in 1988-89, Texla was manufacturing 3 lakh black and white and colour TV sets annually. The company's success stemmed from Raja Singh's vision of making television—once considered a luxury item—affordable for middle-class Indian families during the cable TV boom of the 1980s and 90s.
Beyond Texla, Raja Singh expanded his business empire with brands like Beltek and Bestavision, establishing manufacturing units across Delhi, Ludhiana, Noida, and Patna. In 1989, Texla received the prestigious 'National Productivity Award for Best Productivity Performance in Consumer Electronics.'
Despite his own lack of formal education, Raja Singh was deeply committed to social causes. He established the Guru Ram Das Charitable Trust, which operates multiple educational institutions including GRD Academy CBSE schools in Ludhiana and Dehradun, and GRD Institute of Management and Technology in Dehradun.
His philanthropic work extended to promoting Sikh teachings through 'Sarab Sanjhi Gurbani,' a unit that produced audio-video cassettes, devotional programs, and educational materials spreading Gurbani to the masses.
Raja Singh is particularly remembered for providing employment and livelihood opportunities to survivors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "My father himself had suffered so much during Partition that during the 1984 riots, he gave jobs to the survivors," says Kawaljit.
The family business has since diversified into hospitality with Nirvana Luxury Hotel in Ludhiana, plastic goods manufacturing through Texla Plastics and Metals, and road safety furniture under the brand 'Dark Eye.' A TV production unit continues to operate in Noida.
Raja Singh's passing marks the end of an era in India's electronics industry. His legacy, however, lives on—not just in the television sets that illuminated millions of Indian living rooms, but in the educational institutions nurturing young minds and the countless lives he touched through his generosity and vision.
He is survived by his three sons and extended family members who continue to carry forward his entrepreneurial and philanthropic legacy.
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