THE RAGS T0 £11.9BILLION RICHES STORY OF THE HINDUJAS
It is your classic rags-to-riches story for a family now said to be worth £11.9 billion.
The Hinduja brothers built their empire from humble beginnings in the Indian subcontinent and came top of Britain’s rich list in 2015.
The family business was started by father Parmanand, in 1914 when he arrived in Mumbai, or Bombay as it was then, to learn the art of commerce and founded the Hinduja Company.
Just five years later, he had expanded abroad, moving operations to Iran where the company remained until the overthrow of the Shah in 1979.
Known in their native India as the Fab Four, all of the brothers are teetotal and vegetarian. Sri and Gopi moved to London, third brother, Prakash, lives in Geneva and the fourth, Ashok, remains in Mumbai. Sri – who is also known as SP – took over control of the global company following the death of his father in 1971.
Over the years, the family have not been without their share of controversy.
Following a £1million donation towards the ‘Faith Zone’ in the Millenium Dome, it transpired that Peter Madelson had speeded up Sri’s application for a British passport, forcing him to resign.
In another incident, the brothers were accused of accepting kickbacks from now defunct Swedish Bofors Company as part of a deal to buy guns – an allegation flatly denied by the family and thrown out by Delhi High Court.
The family’s Ashok Leyland company caused controversy when it announced it was selling army vehicles to the Sudan army, claiming they were not for military use.
Comedian and campaigner Mark Thomas claimed it contravened UK arms export legislation but a report he filmed for Newsnight was pulled after the claims were disputed by lawyers for the family.
The family remain one of the most powerful in world business with former President Bill Clinton and many British politicians, counted as friends.
They have shared their extraordinary wealth by funding scholarships, hospitals and charitable foundations.
Sanjay is the eldest son of the Hinduja family, who are known for their love of an expensive wedding.
The 1996 joint wedding of the three Hinduja sons, Ajay, Ramkrishnan and Dheeraj, was attended by almost 10,000 people.
In 2009, the family decided to 'trim down' one cousin's wedding. That time, they only invited 6,000 people.
Sanjay Hinduja married Anu Mahtani - pictured here in Mayfair - after a long-term romance
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