Hinduja Group Chairman Gopichand P. Hinduja Passes Away at 85
Gopichand P Hinduja, who led the Hinduja Group, has passed away at the age of 85 in a London hospital. He was the second of the four Hinduja brothers, with the eldest, Srichand Hinduja, having died in 2023. The remaining brothers are Prakash Hinduja and Ashok Hinduja.
Gopichand Hinduja, widely known as 'GP' in business, became involved with the family enterprise in 1950. He is recognized for his role in evolving the company from a trade business between India and the Middle East into a global conglomerate.
A graduate of Bombay Jai Hind College, Gopichand had also earned honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Westminster and Richmond College, as stated on the company's website.
Also Read: Niranjan Singh Appointed as Head of Media at Monks India
The Hinduja Group operates across eleven industry sectors, encompassing areas such as automotive, banking and finance, information technology, healthcare, real estate, energy, and media and entertainment. Notable brands under its umbrella include Ashok Leyland, IndusInd Bank, and NXTDIGITAL Limited.
The Hinduja family was recently identified as the wealthiest in the UK by the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated net worth of 32.3 billion pounds.
In 2021, the Hinduja family gained public attention due to a dispute that proceeded to a London court. Vinoo and Shanu, daughters of Srichand Hinduja, alleged that their three uncles had excluded them from financial support and decision-making processes. At that time, Srichand Hinduja, also referred to as SP, was dealing with dementia.
In response to their nieces' claims, Gopichand, Prakash, and Ashok pointed to a pact established by the four brothers in 2013, which stipulated that "everything belongs to everyone and nothing belongs to anyone." This situation resulted in acrimonious family confrontations, with both parties making accusations of misconduct.
Also Read: Defence Minister to Address Tri-Services Seminar in New Delhi
The Hinduja Group stands as one of the globe's most extensive diversified conglomerates, with a presence across all continents. The organization provides employment to more than 250,000 individuals and maintains offices in numerous pivotal global cities, alongside all major Indian urban centers. On Monday, Andhra Pradesh entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hinduja Group, committing to a total investment of Rs 20,000 crore.
The Hinduja brothers have also faced scrutiny due to allegations that their name surfaced in the Bofors scandal. In 1987, a report by the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, citing high-level company sources, claimed that the Hindujas had received "commission" from Bofors related to their successful bid for the Bofors-India Howitzer contract, finalized on March 24, 1986. Nevertheless, the Hinduja family has consistently refuted any involvement in the Bofors scandal, with one brother asserting in an interview that "there is a clear-cut conspiracy to malign the name of the family."
Also Read: RBI Revises Norms for Small Business Finance, Loans against Gold
The once-united Hinduja family also experienced internal discord in recent years. This division originated in 2014 when the four brothers signed a document stating that assets held by any one brother were collectively owned. Subsequently, the three younger brothers reportedly attempted to leverage this 2014 agreement to gain control of Hinduja Bank in Switzerland, which was solely registered under S.P. Hinduja's name, leading to a legal dispute between S.P.'s daughters and the three brothers.
These familial divisions intensified as the children of the four brothers ascended to prominent roles and key leadership positions within the family enterprises. For instance, Sanjay Hinduja, son of G.P. Hinduja, currently serves as the Chairman of Gulf Oil.