Hinduja Group chairman Gopichand Hinduja passes away at 85 in London

Gopichand Parmanand Hinduja (1940-2025): Billionaire who became synonymous with India's rise on global stage

(This report has been updated)  London-based billionaire Gopichand Parmanand Hinduja, one of the principal patriarchs of the Hinduja group and a central architect of its global expansion, has passed away following a prolonged illness. He was 85.

 

Known universally as GP, the second of the four Hinduja brothers, he and his elder sibling Srichand (SP) relocated to London in the 1980s, from where they transformed the family’s modest trading business into a diversified global conglomerate.

 

Over the past five decades, the group extended its reach across automobiles, financial services, entertainment and chemicals. Alongside SP and their younger brothers Prakash and Ashok, GP oversaw a steady evolution that mirrored India’s growing global influence. He is survived by his wife, Sunita Hinduja, two sons, Sanjay and Dheeraj, and a daughter, Rita.

 

 

The Hinduja family, with an estimated net worth of £35.3 billion, according to The Sunday Times Rich List, became synonymous with the rise of Indian industrial wealth in the global diaspora. The group deepened its Indian presence through acquisitions such as Gulf Oil in 1984 and Ashok Leyland in 1987, while also backing the launch of IndusInd Bank in 1994, one of the country’s earliest new-generation private banks.

 

Following Srichand’s death in May 2023, the family entered a legal and financial dispute over control of its vast assets, pitting SP’s heirs against the other brothers. The matter was later settled, though details of the agreement remain undisclosed.

 

After SP’s passing, GP assumed the role of chairman of the Hinduja group, continuing a career that began in 1959 when he joined the family enterprise soon after graduating from Mumbai’s Jai Hind College. In 1996, he earned a doctorate in law from the University of Westminster.  Under his leadership, the firm acquired Gulf Oil, which now owns the Gulf brand globally. Hinduja’s name was also linked to the Bofors scandal in the mid-80s.

 

Abin Kumar Das, executive vice-chairman of the group and a long-time confidant, recalled GP’s core philosophy of business built on enduring relationships. “His qualities — integrity, humility and generosity of spirit — were uplifting,” Das said. “His soft and warm heart went out to the poor and underprivileged; he gave freely and fully to the deserving.”

 

Condolences poured in from business and political leaders. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu described Hinduja as a visionary industrialist who played a pivotal role in shaping the Hinduja group into a global powerhouse. He cited milestones such as the acquisition of Gulf Oil and the revival of Ashok Leyland, adding that Hinduja had guided the group’s entry into the power and infrastructure sectors.

 

Naveen Jindal, chairman of the JSPL group, hailed him as “a global leader and a proud son of India.” He added: “Through his remarkable leadership, the Hinduja group became a symbol of Indian enterprise and global excellence. His legacy of integrity, innovation and service will continue to inspire generations.”

 

Those who knew him well spoke of GP’s zest for life and his abiding love of music. “Gopi loved life — music was his passion,” Das recalled, adding, “he would express his outlook on life in the songs he cherished and expressed his emotion of joy, sorrow, love and friendship through them”.