Gopichand Hinduja, the chairman of the Hinduja Group and head of Britain’s wealthiest family, has died at the age of 85 in London. The billionaire industrialist, known affectionately as "GP," passed away on Tuesday, according to a spokesman for the British-Indian conglomerate. His death marks the end of an era for the Hinduja family, which has been a dominant force in global business for decades.
Under Gopichand Hinduja’s stewardship, the Hinduja Group grew into a sprawling multinational empire spanning diverse sectors such as banking and finance, media and entertainment, energy, and automotive manufacturing. The group, initially founded by his father in 1919, now employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. Significant milestones during his leadership include the acquisition of Gulf Oil in 1984 and Indian truck manufacturer Ashok Leyland in 1987, which remains a key part of the conglomerate's operations. The youngest brother, Ashok Hinduja, currently oversees the group’s activities in India, including Ashok Leyland, but it remains unclear who will now assume overall leadership.
The Hinduja family's vast wealth, measured at £35.3 billion according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List, places them at the pinnacle of Britain's richest families for the fourth consecutive year. Their assets include extensive real estate holdings in London, notably several large residences near St James’s Park and the recently refurbished Old War Office in Whitehall, which has been transformed partly into a luxury hotel.
Gopichand Hinduja largely maintained a low public profile, but his name emerged in political controversy in 2001 during the so-called Hinduja Affair. The scandal revolved around a letter he wrote to then-UK Trade Secretary Lord Peter Mandelson, requesting a UK passport for his brother Prakash Hinduja after the Hinduja Foundation donated £1 million to the Millennium Dome project. The incident led to Mandelson’s resignation as an MP, though he was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Gopichand Hinduja is survived by his wife, Sunita, and their three children: sons Sanjay and Dheeraj, and daughter Rita. His older brother Srichand, who was the eldest of the four Hinduja brothers, passed away in 2023 after battling dementia. Together, the brothers had successfully steered the family business over many decades, establishing a significant global presence.
The Hinduja Group’s extensive and diversified business interests, coupled with its longstanding family leadership, mark a notable chapter in the history of British-Indian entrepreneurship. While the family now faces the question of succession, their legacy as one of the world’s most influential business dynasties remains firmly established.
📌 Reference Map:
- [1] The Independent - Paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
- [2] LiveMint - Paragraphs 3, 7
- [3] Financial Express - Paragraphs 3, 7
- [4] Business Standard - Paragraph 3
- [5] New Indian Express - Paragraph 2, 7
- [6] upday - Paragraphs 3, 4, 7
- [7] Times of India - Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 7
Source: Noah Wire Services