NewKerala.com

Gopichand Hinduja, UK's Richest Man, Dies at 85 in London Hospital

Gopichand Hinduja, the chairman of the Hinduja Group, has passed away at 85 in a London hospital. He took over leadership after his elder brother Srichand's death in May 2023. Under his guidance, the family business grew into a massive transnational conglomerate spanning 11 sectors. The Hinduja family was recently ranked Britain's wealthiest with a £32.3 billion fortune.

Key Points: Hinduja Group Chairman Gopichand Hinduja Passes Away in London

  • Transformed family business from trading operation to global conglomerate
  • Led UK's wealthiest family with £32.3 billion net worth
  • Pioneered Ashok Leyland purchase as first major NRI investment
  • Oversaw diverse portfolio across 11 sectors including banking and automotive
2 min read

Hinduja Group Chairman Gopichand Hinduja passes away in London hospital

Gopichand Hinduja, chairman of UK's wealthiest family with £32.3 billion fortune, dies at 85 in London hospital after transforming family business into global conglomerate.

"everything belongs to everyone and nothing belongs to anyone - Gopichand, Prakash, and Ashok Hinduja"

New Delhi, Nov 4

Hinduja Group Chairman Gopichand P. Hinduja passed away in a London hospital on Tuesday.

He was 85. Known as GP in business circles, he took over as Chairman of the Hinduja Group following the death of his elder brother Srichand in May 2023. He is survived by his wife, Sunita, sons Sanjay and Dheeraj, and daughter, Rita.

The 2025 edition of the Sunday Times Rich List recently ranked Gopichand Hinduja's family the richest in the UK with a net worth of 32.3 billion pounds.

Gopichand Hinduja joined the family business in 1950 and is credited with transforming the company from an Indo-Middle East trading operation into a transnational conglomerate. His other two brothers are Prakash Hinduja and Ashok Hinduja.

A graduate from Bombay Jai Hind College, Gopichand held honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Westminster and Richmond College, according to the company's website.

The Hinduja Group has businesses 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.

While Prakash Hinduja has been involved in managing the group's operations in Europe, Ashok Hinduja, the youngest brother, oversees the group's interests in India.

The Hinduja Group made a major decision to enter the Indian automobile sector with the purchase of heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland in 1987, which is now their flagship company in the Indian automobile sector. This move was considered the first big NRI investment in India at the time.

The Hinduja family made headlines in 2021 for a feud that reached a London courtroom. Srichand Hinduja's daughter Vinoo and Shanu accused their three uncles of cutting them out of funding and decision-making. At the time, Srichand Hinduja, known as SP, was suffering from dementia.

Responding to their nieces' allegations, Gopichand, Prakash, and Ashok cited an agreement the four brothers made back in 2013 that "everything belongs to everyone and nothing belongs to anyone".

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Very sad news. He was a true business legend who put India on the global map. Ashok Leyland and IndusInd Bank are household names in India. His contribution to Indian industry will always be remembered.
M
Michael C
The family feud mentioned in the article is quite unfortunate. While he achieved great business success, the internal disputes show that even the wealthiest families face challenges. Hope they resolve their differences peacefully.
S
Shreya B
From Jai Hind College to building a 32 billion pound empire! What an inspiring journey for every Indian entrepreneur. He proved that with vision and hard work, Indians can conquer global markets 💪
A
Ashwin V
The Hinduja Group's investment in Ashok Leyland was a game-changer for India's automobile sector. It created thousands of jobs and boosted our manufacturing capabilities. True nation-building through business.
J
Jessica F
While I respect his business achievements, the family disputes and the "everything belongs to everyone" philosophy seems problematic in practice. Clear succession planning would have prevented much of the legal battles.
K
Karthik V
Om Shanti. Another business titan leaves us. His legacy lives on through the massive Hinduja Group that employs lakhs of people across the world. True inspiration for young Indian business minds.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50