Gopichand Hinduja, patriarch of the Hinduja family, who topped the Sunday Times Rich List, has died at the age of 85. The family's business, the Hinduja Group, operates across 11 sectors globally and has a net worth of £35.3bn.
Business Legacy
Gopichand Hinduja, known as GP, was instrumental in developing the Hinduja Group from his father's textile and trading businesses into an international conglomerate. The group employs approximately 200,000 staff worldwide. Its operations span 11 sectors, including finance, media and entertainment, and oil.
Family and Leadership
Mr. Hinduja was the second eldest of four brothers who collectively controlled the business. His oldest brother, Srichand Hinduja, passed away in 2023 at 87. The youngest brother, Ashok Hinduja, manages the group's Indian operations, which include truck manufacturer Ashok Leyland. Succession plans for the leadership of the conglomerate have not been announced.
Financial Standing and Assets
The Hinduja family was ranked first on the most recent Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated net worth of £35.3 billion. In 2024, Forbes listed the family 11th among India's 100 wealthiest businesspeople. The family's property portfolio in London includes residences near St James's Park and the Old War Office in Whitehall, which has been converted into a hotel.
Past Legal Matters
Gopichand Hinduja was involved in a 2001 incident, referred to as the "Hinduja affair." This incident concerned correspondence between Mr. Hinduja and Lord Peter Mandelson regarding his brother Prakash's British citizenship application. This correspondence occurred after a £1 million donation from the family's charity to the Millennium Dome, an initiative Lord Mandelson was associated with. Lord Mandelson subsequently resigned as an MP but was later cleared following an inquiry.
Separately, Prakash Hinduja, along with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law, were convicted last year by a Swiss court concerning the exploitation of domestic staff at their Geneva residence.