Hinduja Group Chairman Gopichand P. Hinduja Passes Away at 85 in London

Gopichand P. Hinduja, chairman of the Hinduja Group and one of Britain’s richest men, passed away in London on Tuesday at the age of 85 after a prolonged illness. The Hinduja family confirmed his demise in a statement, describing him as “a visionary leader whose life was dedicated to business excellence and humanitarian values.”

Born on January 29, 1940, in Mumbai, Gopichand was the second of the four Hinduja brothers — after Srichand, and followed by Prakash and Ashok. He joined the family business in 1959, expanding its global footprint from India to Iran and later to Europe. Under his stewardship, the Hinduja Group diversified into multiple sectors including automotive, energy, banking, real estate, healthcare, and technology.

Gopichand Hinduja, along with his late brother Srichand P. Hinduja, played a pivotal role in transforming the family-run trading enterprise into a multinational powerhouse. The Hinduja Group today operates in over 30 countries with more than 200,000 employees. Their business acumen earned the family the top spot on the Sunday Times Rich List 2025, with an estimated fortune of £35.3 billion (₹3.7 lakh crore).

Despite his business success, Hinduja maintained a low profile and was widely respected for his philanthropic efforts through the Hinduja Foundation, which supports education, healthcare, and social welfare initiatives worldwide.

His passing marks the end of an era for the 109-year-old conglomerate, which remains under family control. The leadership is expected to transition smoothly to the next generation, including his sons, Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja, who currently oversee key group operations.

Tributes have poured in from political and business leaders across the globe, remembering Gopichand Hinduja as a “bridge between India and the world” and a “titan of industry with a humanitarian heart.”