Srichand Hinduja dead – Patriarch of Britain’s richest family dies aged 87 as his children share their ‘deep sadness’
THE patriarch of Britain’s richest family, the Hinduja family, has died at the age of 87.
Indian-born billionaire Srichand Hinduja’s children, Shanu and Vinoo, released a statement announcing his passing on May 17, as they shared their “deep sadness”.
The statement read: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our father SP Hinduja.
“SP was a visionary titan of industry and business, humanitarian and philanthropist.
“He touched countless lives on his path, and we are forever grateful for the time we cherished with him.”
The billionaire businessman was reportedly suffering from dementia at the time of his death.
Mr Hinduja topped the Sunday Times Rich List alongside his brother Gopichand for a fourth time in 2022.
The pair had a net worth of £28.5 billion.
He was chairman of the Hinduja business group, which owns a variety of companies across India, including in banking, commercial vehicle sales and chemicals.
In the UK, the group owned several properties, including a vast 18th Century home near Buckingham Palace, and spent much of their time here.
They also acquired parts of the defunct British motoring giant British Leyland in 1987.
The business empire employed 150,000 people, including Gopichand.
It comes after a family rift over ownership of a Swiss bank led to Mr Hinduja’s medical needs becoming “marginalised”, according to The Guardian.
In 2015, he sued his brothers in the High Court to assert his right to sole ownership of the Hinduja Bank.
The family reportedly said they agreed terms to end the case last year.