The business world is mourning the loss of Gopichand Hinduja, the 85-year-old co-head of the Hinduja family, whose empire made him the UK’s richest man.
Known affectionately as ‘GP,’ Hinduja passed away yesterday after a long illness, leaving behind a legacy of global business achievement and family devotion.
Building a Global Business Legacy
Gopichand, alongside his older brother Srichand Hinduja, transformed the Hinduja Group from a modest 1914 trading business dealing in carpets, tea, and spices into a sprawling multinational conglomerate.
Their empire now spans banking, healthcare, real estate, oil, and entertainment, employing around 200,000 people worldwide.
The brothers moved to London in the 1970s, establishing the UK as the center of the family’s operations.
Their younger siblings, Prakash and Ashok, managed the group’s interests in Geneva and India respectively, ensuring the Hinduja name had a global footprint.
In 2024, the family’s fortune was valued at an astounding £37.2 billion, the largest ever recorded in the Sunday Times Rich List, cementing their place among the world’s wealthiest families.
Family Life and Personal Values
Gopichand married Sunita Gurnani in 1963, and together they raised three children: Sanjay, Dheeraj, and Rita.
Known for his vegetarian lifestyle and teetotal habits, Gopichand shared a unique family arrangement, living closely with his brother Srichand’s family and co-raising their children.
Their home was a lavish apartment on Carlton House Terrace in London, near the Hinduja Group’s headquarters in Haymarket.
While the family generally shunned publicity, Gopichand often stepped forward as the family’s spokesperson, known for his outgoing and approachable manner.
Legal Battles and Controversies
Despite their success, the Hinduja family experienced turbulence.
In 2015, Srichand sought sole ownership of the Switzerland-based Hinduja Bank, challenging prior agreements that assets held by one brother belonged to all four siblings.
The move sparked years of litigation over billions of pounds in family assets.
During this period, Srichand developed dementia, raising concerns about his care.
By November 2022, six months before Srichand’s passing, Gopichand’s office confirmed that the family had resolved matters amicably, bringing closure to a tense chapter.
Gopichand was also indirectly involved in the 2001 Hinduja Affair, which led to Lord Peter Mandelson resigning as an MP.
The controversy centered on Gopichand requesting a UK passport for brother Prakash following a £1 million donation by the Hinduja Foundation to the Millennium Dome.
Mandelson was later cleared of wrongdoing, but the incident remains a notable moment in the family’s public life.
Legacy in London and Beyond
Beyond business, Gopichand took pride in the family’s significant London real estate holdings, including properties near St James’s Park and the refurbished Old War Office in Whitehall, now partially converted into a hotel.
He described this project as his “greatest legacy to London.”
Even as the family navigated challenges and controversy, Gopichand was remembered by relatives as humble, joyful, and a friend to everyone he met.
His efforts over seven decades built not only a business empire but also a global reputation for the Hinduja Group that will endure for generations.
A Final Farewell
With Gopichand’s passing, the Hinduja family and the business community have lost a towering figure, leaving a deep void in both family and industry.
As the next chapter of the Hinduja Group unfolds, his vision, leadership, and dedication will remain a guiding force.