Gopichand Hinduja, who revived Ashok Leyland, passes away at 85

Gopichand P Hinduja, head of Britain’s richest family and one of the three brothers once named in the Bofors case, passed away in London at the age of 85.

Known as 'GP' in business circles, he had been unwell for several weeks and died at a London hospital, according to family sources.

Born in 1940, Gopichand was the second of the four Hinduja brothers who transformed their family enterprise into a global conglomerate with interests in automobiles, energy, banking, and infrastructure. He became chairman of the £35-billion Hinduja Group following the death of his elder brother Srichand Hinduja in 2023.

He is survived by his wife, Sunita, sons Sanjay and Dheeraj, and daughter, Rita.

A graduate of Jai Hind College, Mumbai (1959), Gopichand began his career in the family's trading business in Tehran before expanding its reach across continents.

Under his leadership, the group acquired Gulf Oil in 1984, closely followed by the acquisition of the then-struggling Indian automotive manufacturer, Ashok Leyland, in 1987, which was the first major NRI investment in India. Today, Ashok Leyland is regarded as one of the most successful turnaround stories ever in Indian corporate history.