Hinduja Group Head SP Hinduja Dies; Looking Back At ‘Sangam’ & Bofors Connections

London: Srichand Parmanand Hinduja, the eldest of four Hinduja brothers and chairman of Hinduja Group, breathed his last here on Wednesday, reported PTI.

Born in Karachi in undivided India, the British national Hinduja had been unwell for some time. He was 87.

“Gopichand, Prakash, Ashok and the whole Hinduja family with a heavy heart regret to announce the passing away of our family patriarch, and chairman of Hinduja Group, Mr S P Hinduja today,” a family spokesperson said.

SP, who lost his wife Madhu 4 months ago, is survived by daughters Shanu and Vinoo.

SP’s business successes started with international distribution rights for 1964 Bollywood movie ‘Sangam’, and he went on to become one of the richest persons in Britain. Raj Kapoor, who starred in ‘Sangam’ along with Vyjayanthimala and Rajendra Kumar in lead roles, directed, produced and edited the movie. The first Indian film to be exclusively shot abroad, ‘Sangam’ was a blockbuster hit.

But back home, it was the Bofors scam that made SP Hinduja famous, rather infamous.

The head of billionaire Hinduja Group and his brothers Gopichand and Prakash were accused of receiving nearly Rs 64 crore in illegal commissions to help Swedish gunmaker AB Bofors secure an Indian government contract.

In May 2005, the Delhi High Court dismissed the allegations against Hinduja brothers, but charges against others remained.