Dinesh Dhamija is a British Indian entrepreneur, politician and philanthropist who made his name as the founder of online travel agency eBookers and is now at the forefront of negotiations on a UK India trade deal. A first-generation immigrant from India who moved to the UK in the 1960s, he has since lived and worked in 17 countries and donated more than £5 million to charity.
As founder of eBookers, Dinesh created the first internet travel company in the UK and Europe, which achieved FTSE 250 status on the London Stock Exchange. After an initial investment of $5 million, Dinesh sold the business for $471 million in 2005, since when he has devoted his time to politics, charity work, and a new business in green energy.
From 2019 to 2020, Dinesh represented London for the Liberal Democrats at the European Parliament and served as President of the India Desk for the European Union. He left the European Parliament as a result of Brexit and is now an active advocate for a trade deal between the UK and India that could create hundreds of thousands of jobs in both countries.
As founder...Dinesh Dhamija is a British Indian entrepreneur, politician and philanthropist who made his name as the founder of online travel agency eBookers and is now at the forefront of negotiations on a UK India trade deal. A first-generation immigrant from India who moved to the UK in the 1960s, he has since lived and worked in 17 countries and donated more than £5 million to charity.
As founder of eBookers, Dinesh created the first internet travel company in the UK and Europe, which achieved FTSE 250 status on the London Stock Exchange. After an initial investment of $5 million, Dinesh sold the business for $471 million in 2005, since when he has devoted his time to politics, charity work, and a new business in green energy.
From 2019 to 2020, Dinesh represented London for the Liberal Democrats at the European Parliament and served as President of the India Desk for the European Union. He left the European Parliament as a result of Brexit and is now an active advocate for a trade deal between the UK and India that could create hundreds of thousands of jobs in both countries.
As founder and chairman of Copper Beech, Dinesh also manages investments in sustainable projects in Europe and India, including creating the biggest solar and hydrogen energy companies in Romania.
In his charity work, Dinesh is the founder of two India-based NGOs: Shiksha and Chikitsa. He is also a supporter and trustee of several charities including the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, Scope and the LEPRA Society.
Born in Australia as the son of an Indian diplomat, Dinesh grew up in India, Mauritius, Afghanistan, Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands before attending Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he attained an MA in Law. His autobiography, Book It!, tells the story of his journey to earning a £100 million fortune and he will soon publish his second book, The Indian Century, looking forward to the trade opportunities India represents for the UK.moreless
Dinesh Dhamija, the entrepreneur who made his name by setting up the online travel firm ebookers, is hoping to accelerate the development of computer sciences at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, with a million-pound gift.
Copper Beech Group manages investments in sustainable projects in Europe and India. The company is currently involved in running the biggest solar and hydrogen energy companies in Romania.
Ebookers.com was the first internet travel company in the UK and Europe and went on to achieve FTSE 250 status on the London Stock Exchange. The firm grew rapidly and ultimately created 2,000 jobs, achieving sales of more than $1 billion with offices in 12 European countries. After an initial investment of $5 million, Dinesh sold ebookers.com for $471 million in 2005.
In 1983 Dabin Travel evolved into Flightbookers, a travel agency that grew rapidly from three premises in the UK to offices in 12 countries. Seeing the potential of the internet for the travel industry, Dinesh developed an interactive branch of Flightbookers, ebookers.com.
Dabin Travel Ltd
Managing Director
1979 - 1983
London, UK
Dinesh and his wife, Tani, set up Dabin Travel in a small kiosk in London's Earls Court tube station. Through their hard work, they grew the business into Flightbookers.
In recognition of Dinesh's generous funding of three Fellowships, Fitzwilliam College appointed Dinesh Dhamija an 1869 Fellow Benefactor, only the fifth in the college’s history. 1869 Fellow Benefactors become Companions of the Guild of Cambridge Benefactors, and enjoy all the benefits of an Honorary Fellow.
Shiksha Foundation is a Non-Government Organization (NGO) that helps to provide schooling for disadvantaged children in India. It also supports underprivileged communities in the areas of food and health.
Chikitsa
Founder
Dinesh founded the India-based charity Chikitsa that gives 120,000 people a year free medicine through 15 clinics.
Dinesh Dhamija is a regular contributor to Finito World. Click on the link to read his blog posts: The importance of a UK India trade deal, why Modi is big in Japan, and Dinesh’s reaction to Rishi Sunak’s appointment as PM.
During the Covid-19 lockdown, Dinesh wrote his autobiography, Book It!. The book tells the story of his journey to earning a £100 million fortune and becoming one of the UK’s wealthiest Asian residents, including chapters on his Cambridge days, his philanthropy and his passion for golf, as well as investment strategy and entrepreneurship.
Dinesh Dhamija represented London in the European Parliament for the UK's Liberal Democrats. He served as President of the India Desk for the European Union and chaired the EU’s India delegation. He was actively involved in trade talks before leaving the European Parliament as a result of Brexit.
Dinesh Dhamija is much sought after as a speaker for his views on business and trade, and contributes strategic insight to key issues such as entrepreneurship, and the pressing need for a British India trade deal.
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (now known as The Churchill Fellowship) is a UK charity that was founded by public donation in 1965 as the living legacy of Sir Winston Churchill. The charity offers UK citizens the opportunity to discover new ideas and best practices from around the world, and to implement those ideas in the UK.
Scope is the disability equality charity in England and Wales. The charity campaigns to create a more equal and fairer society and provides practical information and support.
Often thought of as a disease of the past, Leprosy affects over 3 million people worldwide. Lepra supports sufferers to lead normal lives by raising awareness, prevention and treatment of the illness.
The Indus Entrepreneurs (or TiE) was founded by senior executives with roots in the Indus region to foster entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, education, funding and incubation.
