The Hinduja Group was founded by Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja in 1914. He was a foresighted visionary with strong business acumen. He had a keen eye for opportunities and capitalized on them. He hailed from a Hindu family based in India and set up operations in the country. The Hinduja Group made its first international foray in Iran in 1919. Merchant Banking and Trade were the twin pillars of the business and remained headquartered in Iran, until the company moved to Europe in 1979.