Ankithreddy at 01:33, 22 January 2026

2026-01-22T01:33:57Z

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{{Short description|Indian real estate developer and founder of DLF (1910–2000)}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chaudhary Raghvendra Singh
| birth_date = {{Birth date |1910|9|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Punjab Province (British India)]], British India,<br/> (now [[Haryana]], India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|6|13|1910|9|19|df=y}}
| death_place = India
| occupation = Real estate developer
| known_for = Founder, [[DLF Limited]]
| children = Indira
| relatives = [[Kushal Pal Singh]] (son-in-law)
}}

'''Chaudhary Raghvendra Singh''' (19 September 1910 – 13 June 2000) was an Indian real estate developer known for founding [[DLF (company)|DLF]], then known as Delhi Land and Finance, in 1946.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Roychowdhury |first=Adrija |date=17 April 2022 |title=Delhi Rewind: How DLF built colonies in Delhi for aspirational Partition migrants |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/how-dlf-built-colonies-in-delhi-for-aspirational-partition-migrants-7872784/ |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=13 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713171239/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/how-dlf-built-colonies-in-delhi-for-aspirational-partition-migrants-7872784/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Meet our founder |url=https://www.dlf.in/about-us |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=DLF |language=en |archive-date=8 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241208042500/https://www.dlf.in/about-us |url-status=live }}</ref> He laid the foundations for one of India's largest real estate companies, instrumental in transforming the urban landscape of [[Delhi]] and [[Gurgaon]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":10" />

== Early life ==
Chaudhary Raghvendra Singh was born on 19 September 1910 in [[Punjab Province (British India)]], British India (now [[Haryana]], India), into a [[Hindu Jat]] family with agricultural and military tradition.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Donthi |first1=Praveen |date=1 January 2014 |title=How the brokers of land and power built the Millennium City |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/road-gurgaon |work=Caravan |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

== Business career ==
In 1946, Singh established DLF, then known as Delhi Land and Finance, with the aim of developing urban residential colonies in the capital city of Delhi.<ref name=":0" /> His early projects included the creation of neighbourhoods like [[South Extension]], [[Greater Kailash]], and [[Hauz Khas]] in the 1950s and 1960s.<ref name=":0" /> In 1961, the [[Government of India|Indian government]] transferred urban development control to the [[Delhi Development Authority]] (DDA), which restricted private real estate development in Delhi. This prompted Singh and his son-in-law, [[Kushal Pal Singh]], to look for new opportunities outside the capital.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Basu |first=Soma |date=29 November 2024 |title=K.P. Singh: Think like Edwin Lutyens |url=https://www.thehindu.com/real-estate/real-estate-baron-kp-singh-of-dlf-says-visionary-collaborations-and-urgent-action-plans-are-imperative-to-save-our-cities-from-falling-into-a-deeper-chaos/article68914218.ece |access-date=9 January 2024 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> DLF shifted its focus to [[Gurgaon]] (now Gurugram), where his and Kushal Pal's business plans led to the region's transformation into a modern urban hub.<ref>{{cite web |title=Full Story - Founding of DLF |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/business/business-news/success-story-of-kushal-pal-singh-who-after-studying-in-london-joined-military-and-then-took-his-father-in-law-empire-to-great-heights/articleshow/108022164.cms |website=Navbharat Times |date=2 January 2024 |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gurgaon: From Ghost Town to Boomtown |url= https://www.theweekendleader.com/Culture/1393/a-family-enterprise.html|publisher=The Weekend Leader |access-date=2 July 2024}}</ref> In 1995, Kushal Pal became the chairman of DLF.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dutta |first=Arnab |date=5 June 2020 |title=DLF's K P Singh retires at 90, son Rajiv Singh to take over reins |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/dlf-s-k-p-singh-retires-at-90-son-rajiv-singh-to-take-over-reins-120060500065_1.html |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=Business Standard |archive-date=15 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015144319/https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/dlf-s-k-p-singh-retires-at-90-son-rajiv-singh-to-take-over-reins-120060500065_1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Singh had a daughter Indira. Indira married Kushal Pal.<ref>{{Cite web |editor-last=Sharma |editor-first=Reema |title=Who Is KP Singh, Real-estate King With Rs 94,536 Crore Net Worth, Who Left Indian Army To Build DLF And Found Love Again At 91 |url=https://zeenews.india.com/companies/who-is-kp-singh-real-estate-king-with-rs-94536-crore-net-worth-who-left-indian-army-to-build-dlf-and-found-love-again-at-91-2622041.html |access-date=15 January 2025 |website=Zee News |language=en |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705012949/https://zeenews.india.com/companies/who-is-kp-singh-real-estate-king-with-rs-94536-crore-net-worth-who-left-indian-army-to-build-dlf-and-found-love-again-at-91-2622041.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Singh died on 13 June 2000.<ref name=":1" />

== Legacy ==
After Singh's death, his son-in-law, Kushal Pal, expanded DLF into the largest real estate company in India.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Srivastava |first=Samar |date=16 November 2015 |title=DLF: The Ailing Giant |url=https://www.forbesindia.com/article/india-rich-list-2015/dlf-the-ailing-giant/41357/1 |access-date=13 January 2025 |website=Forbes India |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=4 June 2020 |title=DLF’s K.P. Singh retires, wishes he turned Gurgaon into the city he dreamed of |url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/dlf-s-k-p-singh-retires-wishes-he-turned-gurgaon-into-the-city-he-dreamed-of-11591282377174.html |access-date=12 January 2025 |website=Mint |archive-date=23 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240723124041/https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/dlf-s-k-p-singh-retires-wishes-he-turned-gurgaon-into-the-city-he-dreamed-of-11591282377174.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.dlf.in DLF Official Website]

[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian businesspeople in the real estate industry]]

Chaudhary Raghvendra Singh - Revision history

Ankithreddy at 01:33, 22 January 2026