Who is Gopichand Hinduja? Exploring the Life of the UK's Wealthiest Businessman

Gopichand Hinduja, the chairman of the Hinduja Group, has once again secured the top spot in the United Kingdom's prestigious Rich List. Despite a slight decline in his overall net worth, he continues to hold the number one position, for the fourth time. As per the Sunday Times Rich List 2025, the family’s wealth has been estimated at approx £35.3 billion, continuing to build their status as the richest family in the UK. This achievement reflects not only their diverse and far-reaching nature of their business empire but also their ability to maintain financial leadership amidst shifting global economic trends

But the question is, who is Gopichand Hinduja, and how did he become one of the world’s most influential and wealthiest business figures?

Early Life

Gopichand Parmanand Hinduja was born on 29 January 1940 as the son of Parmanand Hinduja and got his graduation degree from Jai Hind College, Bombay. He also holds an honorary degree from the University of Westminster and Richmond College, London, for his contributions to law and economics.

Personal Life

Gopichand Hinduja is married to Sunita Hinduja and they have two sons, named Sanjay Hinduja and Dheeraj Hinduja and one daughter, Rita Hinduja. 

Lastly, in 2015, Gopichand’s eldest son, Sanjay Hinduja, got married to his long-time girlfriend, the designer Anu Mahtani from Udaipur, India. Their wedding cost around £15 million and was attended by many renowned Bollywood and Hollywood stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Scherzinger, and Arjun Kapoor.

Business Career

Gopichand Parmanand Hinduja, who is also generally known as ‘GP’ in business circles, is the second-generation leader of the Hinduja family empire. He is currently the chairman of both the Hinduja Group and Hinduja Automotive Ltd. in the UK. He took the leadership under him after the passing of his elder brother in May 2023, Srichand Hinduja.

Gopichand started his business journey from Mumbai back in 1959. From there, he played a key role in transforming the family’s traditional Indo-Middle Eastern trading business into a global empire.

At first, the Hinduja business was intially founded by Gopichand’s father, Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, in 1919. It all started in Iran after the family moved from Sindh (now in Pakistan). Later, in 1979, the Hinduja brothers shifted their base from Sindh to London.

The Hinduja family is also known for its high-profile real estate in London. They own London’s historic Old War Office building which is now the luxurious Raffles London hotel and Carlton House Terrace, which is close to Buckingham Palace.

Major Business Milestones

Under his leadership, the corporation made these significant moves:

• They acquired Gulf Oil in 1984.

• Later on,  in 1987, they over Ashok Leyland, one of India's top automotive companies, marking a historic NRI-led investment in India

• Today, the Hinduja Group spans industries like banking, energy, media, lubricants, and cable TV. The multinational employs around 200,000 people worldwide.

Present

Currently, Gopichand Hinduja resides in London, where he oversees the group’s international affairs and continues to be a prominent figure in global business circles. His younger brother, Prakash Hinduja, is based in Monaco and is primarily responsible for managing the business's operations across Europe, taking the leverage of the strategic location to strengthen the group’s influence in the region. 

The youngest of the siblings, Ashok Hinduja, resides in Mumbai and plays an important role in handling the company’s operations in India. He actively supervises sectors including finance, media, infrastructure, and energy, ensuring that the Hinduja Group maintains its reputation and brand image.

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