Gopichand Hinduja, the chairman of the Hinduja Group, has passed away in London at the age of 85. Known as "GP" in business circles, Hinduja had been unwell for several weeks and died in a London hospital. He is survived by his wife, Sunita, sons Sanjay and Dheeraj, and daughter Rita.
Hinduja's death marks the end of an era for one of the most influential business families connecting India and the United Kingdom. British House of Lords member Rami Ranger called Hinduja "one of the most gracious, humble, and loyal friends" and said his passing "marks the end of an era".
Born on January 29, 1940, Gopichand Parmanand Hinduja was an Indian-British billionaire businessman. He joined the family business in 1959 and is credited with transforming it from an Indo-Middle East trading operation into a transnational conglomerate. The Hinduja Group has interests in eleven sectors, including automotive, banking and finance, IT, healthcare, real estate, power, and media and entertainment. Some of its well-known brands include Ashok Leyland, IndusInd Bank, and NXTDIGITAL Limited.
The Hinduja Group's origins trace back to 1914 when Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, Gopichand's father, founded the company. Initially operating in Shikarpur (now Pakistan) and Bombay, he established the first international operation in Iran in 1919. The group remained headquartered in Iran until 1979, when it moved to Europe. Gopichand and his brother Srichand moved to London in 1979 to develop the export business.
Under Gopichand Hinduja's leadership, the group expanded aggressively into manufacturing, banking, automotive, energy, IT, and healthcare. Significant acquisitions under his leadership included Gulf Oil in 1984 and Ashok Leyland in 1987. The latter marked one of the first major investments by non-resident Indians (NRIs) in India.
The Hinduja family's net worth was estimated at £35.3 billion in 2025. For decades, Gopichand Hinduja was consistently ranked among the wealthiest people in the UK and Asia. In 2024, the Sunday Times Rich List ranked him first among the wealthiest in the UK, with an estimated family fortune of £37 billion. The family owns valuable real estate in London, including the Raffles London hotel, housed in the historic Old War Office building in Whitehall, which opened in September 2023.
Gopichand Hinduja's death follows that of his elder brother, Srichand Hinduja, who died in May 2023. He is also survived by his brothers, Prakash and Ashok Hinduja. Prakash manages the group's operations in Geneva, Switzerland, while Ashok oversees the Indian interests from Mumbai.
Gopichand Hinduja's legacy extends beyond his business achievements. He was known for his philanthropy and commitment to the community and India. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Westminster and an Honorary Doctorate of Economics from Richmond College, London.
