Gopichand P. Hinduja served as chairman of the Hinduja Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai.
Gopichand P. Hinduja, who led Britain’s wealthiest family, died on Tuesday at 85 following a prolonged illness.
Referred to commonly as GP, he held the position of chairman for Hinduja Group, a wide-ranging Indian conglomerate spanning various sectors such as finance, media and entertainment, and oil. His close family members issued a statement saying, “He will leave a deep hole at the heart of our family.”
Hinduja is recognized for evolving his father’s humble textile and trading ventures into a conglomerate that currently encompasses over 25 companies across twelve sectors globally.
The group, under his direction, transitioned from being a trader concentrated on Middle Eastern markets to a diversified entity, particularly after its acquisition of Gulf Oil in 1984, a development highlighted by the Times of India.
The Hinduja Group significantly invested in Ashok Leyland, India’s second-biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, in 1987, through the purchase of Land Rover Leyland International Holdings (LRLIH) from the British carmaker Rover Group.
He was the second of four brothers who ran the business for many decades. Gopichand, a second-generation member of the Hinduja family, assumed the role of chairman after his elder brother Srichand passed away in May 2023.
The Hinduja brothers, including Prakash and Ashok, stood out as one of Britain’s most prominent ethnically Indian business families.
The family possesses notable real estate holdings in London, such as numerous substantial residences close to St. James’s Park and Winston Churchill’s Old War Office in Whitehall, which underwent recent renovation to incorporate a hotel.
GP and his family led the latest Sunday Times Rich List, holding an estimated net worth of £35.3bn. Additionally, they secured the 11th position on the 2024 Forbes list of India’s 100 wealthiest businesspeople.
He is survived by his wife, Sunita, his sons Sanjay and Dheeraj, and his daughter, Rita.