Hinduja Group Chairman Gopichand Hinduja Passes Away Aged 85

Indian-British billionaire and chairman of the Hinduja Group, Gopichand Hinduja, has passed away at the age of 85 in a hospital in London, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday.

Member of British House of Lords Rami Ranger wrote a heartfelt condolence note while informing of his passing.

"Dear friends, with a heavy heart, I share with you the tragic loss of our beloved friend, Mr GP Hinduja, who has departed for his heavenly abode. He was one of the most gracious, humble, and loyal friends. His passing marks the end of an era, as he was truly a well-wisher of the community and a guiding force", the Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.

The British lawmaker said that he had the privilege of knowing him over many years and spoke about some of his "unique qualities like tremendous sense of humour, commitment to the community and country", and his practive of giving back to the community by supporting good causes.

"He has left a huge vacuum behind that will be difficult to fill. May he rest in peace in heaven. Om Shanti", he said.

Hinduja was the second among four brothers, the eldest of whom passed away in 2023. The other two brothers are Ashok Hinduja and Prakash Hinduja.

Popularly nickname 'GP' in his business circles, the former Chairman joined the family business in 1950 and led the transformation of the company into a transnational conglomerate from an Indo-Middle East business entity.

He graduated from Bombay Jai Hind College and held honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Westminster and Richmond College, according to the company's website.

Parent to major brands like Ashok Leyland Ltd., IndusInd Bank Ltd. and NXTDIGITAL Ltd, Hinduja Group's business is spread across eleven sectors namely, automotive, banking and finance, IT, healthcare, real estate, power, and media and entertainment among others.