Hinduja Group

Ashok Leyland, a flagship business of Hinduja group, is the 2nd largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, 3rd largest manufacturer of buses in the world and 16th largest manufacturer of trucks globally.[13][14] The company has its footprints across 50 countries and is headquartered in Chennai.[15] It has 9 manufacturing plants around the world with 7 manufacturing plants in India and one each in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE and Leeds, England.[16][17]

In late 2016, Ashok Leyland launched India's first electric bus aiming to penetrate the electric/hybrid vehicles market. Ashok Leyland recorded a revenue of $4.2 billion in year ending March 2019. [18] In late 2016, Ashok Leyland launched India's first electric bus aiming to penetrate the electric/hybrid vehicles market.[19][20][21]

The company became the first truck and bus manufacturer outside of Japan to win the Deming Prize for its Pantnagar plant in 2016.[22][23][24] In 2016, Interbrand India nominated Ashok Leyland as the 38th most valuable brand in India.[25]

Ashok Leyland launched AVTR in Srinagar and delivered vehicles to customers in July 2020. It also began delivery of the newly-launched AVTR range of trucks in Goa. Ashok Leyland's UK based subsidiary Optare PLC delivered the first of 21 battery-electric Metrodecker EVs to UK-based bus operator First York in August 2020.[26]

In 2016, Interbrand India nominated Ashok Leyland as the 38th most valuable brand in India.[27] In 2017, Ashok Leyland bagged the Deming Prize for the second year in a row. Ashok Leyland was declared as the Winner of the ‘Golden Peacock Award for Sustainability’ for the year 2018.[28] In 2018, Ashok Leyland bagged a tender for defence tracked combat vehicles. In 2018, Ashok Leyland and Elbit Systems signed an agreement for military vehicles, to provide integrated systems for export across the globe.[29]

Ashok Leyland is the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the Indian Army and proud to have supplied over 70,000 of its Stallion 4X4 vehicles which form the Army's logistics backbone. In addition AL has successfully developed 6X6, 8X8, 10X10 and 12X12 platforms and vehicles have been put as in-service vehicles in Indian Army. To venture into specialist, tactical and armoured vehicle business, the Hinduja group has formed an independent company called “Ashok Leyland Defence Systems”. Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of Hinduja group, holds 26 percent in the newly formed Ashok Leyland Defence Systems (ALDS), which has a mandate to design and develop defence logistics and tactical vehicles, defence communication and other systems. Dr V. Sumantran, executive vice chairman, Hinduja Automotive Limited, heads the new venture.[30][31]

Hinduja Foundries, now a part of Ashok Leyland is a six decades old company catering to the casting needs of the passenger and commercial automobile OEMs, construction equipment companies and tractor industries. We have two manufacturing plants in operations near Chennai in Southern India. Around 30% of the vehicles rolled out in India (cars, commercial vehicles and tractors) have major castings that were supplied by the company. A modern new green field foundry was set up in Sriperumbudur near Chennai with an R&D centre and started its production in 2007. From Oct 2016, Hinduja Foundries has merged with Ashok Leyland.[32]

Hinduja Global Solutions Limited (formerly HTMT Global Solutions) began as an IT consulting firm specialising in providing solutions centred on a mainframe platform, in partnership with IBM. In 1995, the company entered corporate training in mainframes. Since 2000, the company has been offering business process outsourcing services to clients globally.

The company is active across nine industry verticals – healthcare, travel & hospitality, automotive, banking & finance, insurance, consumer goods, consumer electronics & technology, public sector, telecom and retail & e-commerce.[33]

The company has over 37000 employees across 61 "delivery centres" in seven countries. They have offices across the U.S., Canada, the UK, India, Jamaica, UAE, and the Philippines, making a difference to over 900 of the world’s top brands across nine key verticals.[34]

HGS offers solutions in three key areas – Consumer Engagement Solutions, Business Process Optimization and Digital Innovation. Part of the Hinduja Group, Hinduja Global Solutions was recognized at the NASSCOM Customer Service Excellence Awards 2017.[35][36]

Hinduja Bank (Switzerland) Ltd was founded as a finance company in 1978. It was formerly known as Amas Bank. It became a Swiss regulated bank in 1994.[37]

Hinduja Bank has its headquarters in Geneva and has a network in Switzerland including offices in Lucerne, Zurich, St Margrethen, Basel and Lugano. Additionally it has a global presence in London, Dubai and Mauritius. Its prime activities include stock broking, merchant broking and portfolio management services. Over the years, its businesses expanded to include Wealth Management, Trade Finance Services, Global Investment Solutions and Corporate Finance Services.[38]

IndusInd Bank is a private sector bank, and is the only Indian bank to have been founded by NRIs (Non-resident Indians), and the only commercial bank in India to receive ISO-9001:2000 certification for its branch network. It began its operation in 1994, and caters to the needs of both consumer and corporate customers. Its technology platform supports multi-channel delivery capabilities. As on June 30, 2020, IndusInd Bank has nearly 2000 branches/ banking outlets and 2721 ATMs spread across 751 geographical locations of the country. Its footprint is spread over 2.5 crore customers, over 5,000 distribution points and nearly 2,000 branches across the country. The Bank also has representative offices in London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Bank believes in driving its business through technology. It enjoys clearing bank status for both major stock exchanges - BSE and NSE - and major commodity exchanges in the country, including MCX, NCDEX and NMCE. IndusInd Bank was included in the NIFTY 50 benchmark index on April 1, 2013.[39]

P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre is one of the leading multi-specialty tertiary care hospital in India, which has been providing "Quality Healthcare for All" for over six decades. The 400-bed hospital was set up in association with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston.[40] Since inception the hospital has laid emphasis on the three pillars of healthcare – Clinical Practice, Academics and Research. Today, the hospital has over 170 consultants, more than 800 empowered nurses plus other staff. The hospital partners with leading national and international institutes, for various research and academic programs like National Institute of Health, USA, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA etc.

The hospital has been early adopter of technology, being amongst the first in the country to have Gama Knife, Digital Broadband MRI, True Beam Linear Accelerator, fully integrated Robotic System da Vinci Xi, and more. NABH, CAP, NABL, ISO 27001 2005 and HACCP are some of its accreditation and certifications. The hospital received PEXA 2019 award for the Patient Experience Leader of the Year - CRM Academy of Asia, Best Green Hospital 2019 - BW Businessworld and BW Healthcareworld.[41] P.D. Hinduja Hospital was also awarded the coveted Pharmacie De Qualite (PDQ) Platinum Grade certificate by Bureau Veritas in Pharmacy Management in 2019.[42] The Hospital has also received the 2nd CSR Health Impact award and CII award for Customer Obsession in 2018. It runs, Serve with Passion, rural health programme which provides free healthcare services to the tribal areas in Maharashtra.[43]

The Group owns and operates Hinduja Healthcare Surgical Ltd, also known as Hinduja Hospital in Khar, a quaint suburb of Mumbai. Its Chief Executive Officer is Dr Vishal Beri. It has a team of over 230 consulting doctors across multiple specialties to provide personalized treatment. An entire floor has been dedicated to a state-of-the-art mother and child care department. This includes technologically advanced birthing suites and a separate Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). [44][45] besides setting up radiology and pathology diagnostic centres, emergency ambulance services and pharmacy retail outlets across India.[46]

The chemical hub of the Hinduja Group was strengthened by the merger of Gulf Oil India Limited with IDL Industries Limited, which became effective from 1 January 2002. In 2012, Gulf Oil acquired Houghton International for over $1.045 billion (about over Rs 5,747 crore). In 2015, Gulf Oil Corporation Ltd changed its name to GOCL Corporation Limited.[47] In 2019, Quaker Chemical Corporation, which is NYSE-listed company and Houghton International, a subsidiary of Hinduja Group's Gulf Oil International formed a combined entity, following approval from United States Federal Trade Commission.[48]

The company has two major operating divisions: Commercial Explosives - handling explosives, detonators, explosive bonded metal clads and special devices for defense and space applications. It has eight plants in India, its Hyderabad plant being one of the largest detonator manufacturing facility in the world (192 million per annum). It is one of the largest exporter of explosives and detonators to 21 countries, including the Philippines and countries in South East Asia, North Africa, the Persian Gulf, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. Realty Division: Having large properties at Benguluru and Hyderabad which is currently under- development.

Previously a part of Gulf Oil Corporation Limited, today, GOLIL, as part of the parent company Gulf Oil International, enjoys a presence in over a 100 countries. The companies portfolio covers a complete range of lubricants used in Automotive, Industrial and Marine applications. In 2014, Hinduja Group listed Gulf Oil Lubricants on BSE. Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd (GOLIL) on 8 September 2014 tied up with Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (M&M) to supply lubricants.[49]

The Gulf Oil International Group is one of the largest independent downstream lubricants companies in the world with sales made in over 110 countries. It owns and operates blending plants in Argentina, China, India, Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates. The core business of the Group is the sale of Gulf branded lubricants to the agricultural, industrial, marine and motor sectors. The Gulf brand has extended its presence in fuel stations to 26 countries. The Gulf Group markets, in addition to lubricants, car batteries, car care products, vehicle air filters, lubrication machinery and speciality chemicals in many countries. The company is also a service provider in the automobile business; Gulf operates as Gulf Express, a quick change lubricants service. Gulf Oil International was the first lubricant company to link in partnership with Manchester United Football Club and in 2020 Gulf announced an exciting development by re-entering Formula 1 racing sponsorship with McLaren Racing. Gulf is the official lubricant partner for McLaren.[50][51]

Hinduja Group has set up a greenfield 1040 MW coal based thermal power plant on the coast of Bay of Bengal at Palavalasa village in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. The project has 2x520 MW coal based thermal generation units.[52]

Set up in 2017, the company is into sustainable green energy development. It is developing solar assets in both in utility scale as well as commercial and industrial rooftop scale assets. It 25 Plants in 16 locations.[53]

Privately held flagship Real Estate development arm of Hinduja Group. The company is currently developing 2 Projects in Benguluru currently. It has won Best Construction Award 2018 for `Ecopolis’ project, Benguluru.[54][55]

This Hinduja group company is one of the longest serving representative agency in India (since 1946) dealing with Non-Ferrous metals and alloys. BMC s a Hinduja Group JV with AMC Group, London – One of the 10 ring dealing members of London Metal Exchange. BMC has offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.[56]

Provides advisory services for Joint Ventures and Mergers and Acquisitions to investors in India and Middle east, develops infrastructure and industrial projects. HIPS is restoring and redeveloping the Old War Office, a Grade II listed iconic edifice in London in collaboration with Raffles into boutique five star hotel and hi-end residential apartments. The Hinduja group had acquired this landmark building. The Hinduja Group has successfully acquired the Old War Office from the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) at 57 Whitehall in London.[57]

Global market leader in Metalworking fluids- an NYSE Listed Company. Has manufacturing and Research facilities at 50+ locations in 20 countries. Company deals in over 500 products, covering automotive, industrial and marine products, sold in more than 100 countries [58]

Company was set up in 2017 – a JV between Hinduja Group and NJK Holding, USA. It is headquartered in London, R&D, Product Development, Services Delivery and Offices in UK, US, Netherlands and India. The company’s Executive Chairman is Mr. M.K. Narayanan, ex- National Security Adviser. CyQureX's President and CEO is Sunil Bangalore, Ex IBM, Intel, BELL Labs. At IBM he led the Innovation for the IBM Growth Markets.[59]

Has carried out several philanthropic activities in various sectors of Education, Healthcare, Rural Development. Water Stewardship is the flagship theme of Hinduja group Companies. The Foundation has many scholarship schemes like Dharam Hinduja Merit cum Means Scholarship for under-priviledged Class X students, Hinduja Cambridge Trust Scholarship scheme. HF also runs PD Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai and at Benguluru. HF has a huge Antiquity Collection called, ``The Lance Dane Bequest’’ – a collection of over 34,000 rare and ancient coins of India dating to 600 BC.[60]

Srichand, Gopichand and Prakash Hinduja have been connected with the investigation into the Bofors scandal, in which Swedish firm Bofors was alleged to have paid illegal bribes to Government officials and politicians in connection with the US$1.3 billion sale of 400 howitzers to the Indian Government in 1986. The three brothers were charged by the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation in October 2000,[61] but in 2005 the High Court in Delhi threw out all charges against them, citing a lack of evidence and saying that documents central to the prosecution case were "useless and dubious" since their provenance could not be verified. Judge RS Sodhi said: "I must express my disapproval that 14 years of trial and ₹2.5 billion (US$35 million) of public money was spent on the case. It has caused huge economical, emotional, professional and personal loss to the Hindujas."[62]

In January 2001, it was revealed that UK government Minister Peter Mandelson had telephoned Home Office minister Mike O'Brien on behalf of Srichand Hinduja, who was at the time seeking British citizenship, and whose family firm was to become the main sponsor of the "Faith Zone" in the Millennium Dome. Consequently, on 24 January 2001 Mandelson resigned from the Government for a second time,[63][64] insisting he had done nothing wrong. An independent enquiry by Sir Anthony Hammond came to the conclusion that neither Mandelson nor anyone else had acted improperly.

In January 2001, immigration minister Barbara Roche revealed in a written Commons reply that Keith Vaz, Member of Parliament for Leicester East and at the time a Foreign Office minister, and other MPs, had also contacted the Home Office about the Hinduja brothers, saying that Vaz had made inquiries about when a decision on their application for citizenship could be expected.[65]

On 25 January, Vaz became the focus of Opposition questions about the Hinduja affair and many parliamentary questions were tabled, demanding that he fully disclose his role. Vaz said via a Foreign Office spokesman that he would be "fully prepared" to answer questions put to him by Sir Anthony Hammond QC who had been asked by the Prime Minister to carry out an inquiry into the affair. Vaz said that he had known the Hinduja brothers for some time; he had been present when the charitable Hinduja Foundation was set up in 1993, and had also delivered a speech in 1998 when the brothers invited Tony and Cherie Blair to a Diwali celebration.[66]

On 26 January 2001, Prime Minister Tony Blair was accused of prejudicing the independent inquiry into the Hinduja passport affair, after he declared that Keith Vaz had not done "anything wrong". On the same day, Vaz told reporters that they would "regret" their behaviour once the facts of the case were revealed. "Some of you are going to look very foolish when this report comes out. Some of the stuff you said about Peter, and about others and me, you'll regret very much when the facts come out," he said. When asked why the passport application of one of the Hinduja brothers had been processed more quickly than normal, being processed and sanctioned in six months when the process can take up to two years, he replied, "It is not unusual."[67]

On 29 January, the government confirmed that the Hinduja Foundation had held a reception for Vaz in September 1999 to celebrate his appointment as the first Asian Minister in recent times. The party was not listed by Vaz in the House of Commons Register of Members' Interests and John Redwood, then head of the Conservative Parliamentary Campaigns Unit, questioned Vaz's judgement in accepting the hospitality.[68]

In March, Vaz was ordered to fully co-operate with a new inquiry launched into his financial affairs by Elizabeth Filkin, who was Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards at the time. Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, Vaz's superior, also urged him to fully answer allegations about his links with the Hinduja brothers. Mr Vaz met Mrs Filkin on 20 March to discuss a complaint that the Hinduja Foundation had given the sum of £1,200 to Mapesbury Communications, a company run by his wife, in return for helping to organise a Hinduja-sponsored reception at the House of Commons. Vaz had previously denied receiving money from the Hindujas, but insisted that he made no personal gain from the transaction in question.[69][70]

In June 2001, Vaz admitted that he had made representations during the Hinduja brothers' applications for British citizenship while a backbench MP. Tony Blair also admitted that Vaz had "made representations" on behalf of other Asians.[71] On 11 June 2001 Vaz was dismissed from his post as Europe Minister, to be replaced by Peter Hain. The Prime Minister's office said that Vaz had written to Tony Blair stating he wished to stand down for health reasons.[72]

In December 2001, Elizabeth Filkin cleared Vaz of failing to register payments to his wife's law firm by the Hinduja brothers, but said that he had colluded with his wife to conceal the payments. Filkin's report said that the payments had been given to his wife for legal advice on immigration issues and concluded that Vaz had gained no direct personal benefit, and that Commons rules did not require him to disclose payments made to his wife. She did, however, criticise him for his secrecy, saying, "It is clear to me there has been deliberate collusion over many months between Mr Vaz and his wife to conceal this fact and to prevent me from obtaining accurate information about his possible financial relationship with the Hinduja family".[73]

In February 2005 Ashok Leyland, an India-based flagship company of the brothers' Hinduja Group, announced an agreement to supply 100 army vehicles to the Sudanese Defence Ministry. It was alleged by arms campaigner Mark Thomas that this contravened UK arms export legislation, as a number of the company's directors were UK residents or citizens.[74]