Chairman of the Hinduja Group, Gopichand P Hinduja, died on Tuesday in London at the age of 85, sources close to his family said.
A second generation Hinduja family scion, Gopichand Hinduja had been unwell for the past few weeks, they said.
Fondly known as ‘GP’ in business circles, he had taken over as chairman following the death of his elder brother, Srichand Hinduja, in May 2023. Together, the Hinduja brothers, including Prakash and Ashok, were among the most well-known Indian-origin business families in Britain.
The British billionaire’s Tory peer, Lord Ramy Ranger, posted a heartfelt condolence statement that read: “Dear friends, with a heavy heart, I share with you the tragic loss of our beloved friend, Mr. GP Hinduja, who has departed for his heavenly abode. He was one of the most gracious, humble, and loyal friends. His passing marks the end of an era, as he was truly a well-wisher of the community and a guiding force.
I had the privilege of knowing him over many years; his qualities were unique – tremendous sense of humour, commitment to the community and country, India – and he always supported good causes. He has left a huge vacuum behind that will be difficult to fill. May he rest in peace in heaven. Om Shanti.”
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The Hinduja Group is a large, diversified global conglomerate with interests in various sectors including banking, finance, IT, oil, real estate, health, defense, and the automotive industry (Ashok Leyland), specialty chemicals, cybersecurity, trading, infrastructure project development, media and entertainment, and power across 48 countries.
It topped the Sunday Times Rich List in 2024 with an estimated family fortune of £37 billion.
Gopichand had been a regular feature in the annual ‘Sunday Times Rich List’, with the Hinduja Group topping this year’s tally for the fourth consecutive year with an estimated fortune of GBP 35.3 billion.
He oversaw the multinational conglomerate with cross-sector interests, most recently adding the Old War Office (OWO) luxury hotel complex in central London to its varied business interests.
Gopichand was also a very vocal champion of closer India-UK economic ties and often addressed gatherings in London to exhort businesses to invest in the booming Indian market.
“We have always been working to see what best we can do between India and the UK because we believe our responsibility is to act as a bridge between the host country and the motherland,” he had said recently at a business gathering.
He was the recipient of a string of awards over the years, most recently a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to business and industry at the Lokmat Global Economic Convention in August.
Gopichand Hinduja is survived by his wife, Sunita, sons Sanjay and Dheeraj, and daughter, Rita.
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