Hinduja Family: Companies, Controversies, and a Scandalous Past

The Hinduja family is one of the most influential business families in India, with a history that spans over a century. They have built a vast business empire through their conglomerate, the Hinduja Group.

The Hinduja Group has a diverse range of companies, including Ashok Leyland, a leading manufacturer of buses and commercial vehicles, and IndusInd Bank, a private sector bank. They also have significant interests in the oil and gas sector.

The family's business success has not been without controversy, however. They have been involved in several high-profile scandals, including the "Oil for Food" scandal in Iraq during the 1990s.

The Hinduja Family is a Sindhi family from India, with a long history of entrepreneurship and business acumen. Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, the family patriarch, founded the company in 1914.

The family's business ventures have taken them to various parts of the world, including Iran, where they set up their first international operation in 1919. The company's headquarters remained in Iran until 1979, when they were forced to move to Europe.

The Hinduja brothers, Srichand, Gopichand, Prakash, and Ashok, have played a significant role in the family business. Srichand and Gopichand, in particular, have been instrumental in developing the export business and have been recognized as the wealthiest men in Britain, with an estimated wealth of £16.2 billion in 2017.

Here's a brief overview of the Hinduja brothers:

The Hinduja family's business journey began in 1914 when Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja founded the company in India.

Initially, the company operated in Shikarpur, a town in the Sindh region of British India, and Bombay, India. They later set up their first international operation in Iran in 1919.

The company's headquarters remained in Iran until 1979, when the Islamic Revolution forced them to move to Europe. The Hinduja brothers, Srichand and Gopichand, relocated to London to develop the export business.

The group employs over 200,000 people and has offices in many major cities around the world, including in India. This massive workforce is a testament to the company's growth and success.

Srichand and Gopichand Hinduja were described as the wealthiest men in Britain in 2017, with an estimated wealth of £16.2 billion.

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The Hinduja Group is a vast conglomerate with numerous companies under its umbrella. Hinduja Housing Finance Ltd is one of the key companies in the group.

Ashok Leyland, a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles, is another significant company in the Hinduja Group. The company has a division called Ashok Leyland Foundries, also known as Hinduja Foundries.

P D Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre is a renowned hospital in India, providing top-notch medical care to patients. Hinduja Healthcare Limited is another healthcare-focused company in the group.

The Hinduja Group also has a presence in the banking sector with Hinduja Bank (Switzerland) Ltd, formerly known as Amas Bank, and IndusInd Bank. Hinduja Leyland Finance Ltd is a finance company that provides various financial services.

Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd is a business process management company that offers outsourcing services to clients. Hinduja Tech Ltd is another company in the group that provides IT services.

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Here is a list of some of the key companies in the Hinduja Group:

The Hinduja family has been involved in some high-profile controversies over the years. The Bofors scandal in 1986 involved alleged illegal bribes paid by Swedish firm Bofors to government officials and politicians in connection with the sale of 400 howitzers to the Indian government.

The investigation into the scandal led to the Hinduja brothers, Srichand, Gopichand, and Prakash, being charged in 2000, but all charges were dropped in 2005 due to a lack of evidence. This led to a significant waste of public money, with the court estimating that ₹2.5 billion was spent on the case.

The Hinduja family has also been accused of mistreating their Indian staff at their villa on Lake Geneva. One woman reportedly earned as little as 7 Swiss francs for an 18-hour workday, seven days a week.

The 2001 Affair was a major controversy that shook the organization to its core. It involved a high-ranking official who was accused of embezzling funds.

The official in question was caught red-handed with a stash of cash and documents that revealed a web of deceit. The organization's auditors had been investigating suspicious transactions for months.

The official's actions were described as "brazen" and "unprecedented" by the organization's leadership. The incident led to a thorough overhaul of the organization's financial management systems.

The fallout from the 2001 Affair was severe, with several key staff members resigning in the aftermath. The incident also led to a significant loss of public trust in the organization.

The Hinduja family has been involved in several controversies over the years.

One of the most notable scandals was the Bofors scandal, in which the family was accused of receiving bribes from Swedish firm Bofors in connection with the sale of howitzers to the Indian government in 1986.

The family was charged by the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation in 2000, but all charges were dropped in 2005 due to lack of evidence.

The family's wealth and influence have also been called into question in a separate scandal involving their treatment of Indian staff at their villa on Lake Geneva.

A Swiss prosecutor accused the family of exploiting their staff, with one woman reportedly earning as little as 7 Swiss francs for an 18-hour workday, seven days a week.

The family's lawyers argued that remuneration included board and lodgings, but the prosecutor countered that this was not enough.

The family spent 8,584 Swiss francs annually on their dog, while their staff were paid a fraction of that amount.

The prosecutor has called for prison sentences of up to five and a half years for the family members involved.

Four family members of the Indian-origin multi-billionaire conglomerate, Hinduja Group, got convicted, but the dispute didn't affect their business performance.

The Hinduja brothers took their wealth issues to London's Business and Property Court, showing they could handle disagreements without impacting their business ventures.

Despite their differences, the four family members released an official statement assuring the public that their litigation wouldn't affect their global businesses, which would continue to function as usual.

The Hinduja brothers' ability to separate their personal issues from their business operations is a testament to their commitment to their company's success.