CHENNAI: Gopichand P Hinduja, chairman of the Hinduja Group and one of Britain’s most influential businessmen, passed away in London at the age of 85. A central figure in expanding the family’s global business empire, Hinduja transformed the Hinduja Group into a diversified industrial powerhouse spanning sectors such as automotive, energy, banking, and healthcare.
As the second-generation leader of the storied Hinduja family business, Gopichand, fondly known as “GP,” played a defining role in steering the group’s international growth alongside his late brothers Srichand, Prakash, and Ashok Hinduja. Under his leadership, the group consolidated major assets including Gulf Oil and Ashok Leyland, both of which became flagships of its industrial portfolio.
Born in 1939 in Mumbai, Gopichand was educated in India before joining the family business founded by his father, Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, in 1914. He moved to London in the 1970s, where the Hinduja Group established its global headquarters, marking a new phase of international expansion.
Over the decades, Hinduja became a respected voice in global business circles. The Hinduja family consistently featured among the UK’s wealthiest, with interests spanning more than 30 countries.
Gopichand Hinduja’s contribution to India’s economic growth was significant and enduring. Through Ashok Leyland, he played a pivotal role in advancing India’s commercial vehicle sector, supporting industrialization and infrastructure development across the country. The company’s focus on innovation and local manufacturing under his stewardship helped generate thousands of jobs and strengthened India’s position as a competitive hub for automotive production.
Gopichand Hinduja is remembered not only as a shrewd businessman but also as a visionary leader. His passing marks the end of an era for one of India’s most storied business dynasties.
He is survived by his family, who continue to oversee the Hinduja Group’s global operations.
Hinduja Group’s investments in energy, banking, and healthcare under Gopichand’s leadership contributed to vital sectors of India’s economy. His strategic vision encouraged Indo-UK trade relations and inspired confidence among global investors in the Indian market. Hinduja also promoted skill development and social welfare initiatives, aligning the group’s business goals with national priorities for inclusive growth.
One of India’s largest business conglomerates with global interests across automotive, energy, finance, and healthcare, Hinduja Group has also occasionally faced legal and regulatory scrutiny. In India, the Income Tax Department in 2023 conducted surveys at several group entities under the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR). Its outsourcing arm, Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), was accused of evading about Rs 2,500–2,700 crore in taxes through a merger with a loss-making firm following the sale of its healthcare division. The company denied receiving any formal notice and maintained that all transactions were compliant with Indian tax laws.
Internationally, the group made headlines in June 2024 when a Swiss court sentenced four members of the Hinduja family—Prakash, Kamal, Ajay, and Namrata—to prison terms of four to four-and-a-half years for exploiting domestic staff at their Geneva villa. The court found that workers were overworked, underpaid in Indian rupees, and had their passports confiscated, though the human trafficking charges were dropped. The verdict drew global attention to labour practices among high-net-worth families and underscored reputational risks tied to such cases.
Historically, the Hinduja brothers were also linked to the 1980s Bofors arms deal scandal in India, though they were cleared by the Delhi High Court in 2005 for lack of evidence. The group’s name later appeared in the Paradise Papers, which alleged the use of offshore trust structures to waive debts worth over $78 million, prompting questions on transparency. While the Hinduja Group has consistently denied any wrongdoing, these episodes highlight the growing challenges around tax compliance, corporate governance, and ethical accountability faced by global business empires.
