Sudhir Ruparelia touring one of the stalls at POATE today, Thursday, May 22nd 2025
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Sudhir Ruparelia, Uganda’s billionaire and property mogul, seems to have ended his period of mourning for his late son, Rajiv Ruparelia, after he appeared in public for the first time, several weeks after his burial.
Visibly frail and crest-fallen, Sudhir was seen touring the stalls in the ongoing Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo, which has attracted participation of over 3,000 delegates from more than 50 countries. He however shunned the press and kept to himself most of the time.
Indian tradition
Although Sudhir is a Ugandan of Indian descent, the cremation of his son depicted his attachment to his Indian heritage.
In many Indian traditions, there’s a customary period of mourning where people may choose to stay at home and refrain from public activities. This is particularly common within Hindu and some other religious communities.
However, the specific duration and practices vary widely across regions and individual beliefs. While some families may choose to be more private during this time, it’s also common for community members to visit and offer support, prompting the bereaved family to stay at home.
It is currently being held at Speke Resort Munyonyo and Convention Centre, and runs from the 21st to 24th May 2025. Sudhir Ruparelia, the proprietor of Speke Resort, is one of the major sponsors of this year’s event, actively participated in the preparations until disaster struck, with the death of his son Rajiv.
Painful memories
Rajiv, the only son of Sudhir, died on May 3rd 2025, in a blazing car crash just hours before he was set to serve as one of the seven groomsmen at the high profile wedding of his close friend, Buteera.
He reportedly lost control of his Nissan GTR vehicle after colliding with temporary pavements installed at the roundabout section of the Busabala spur flyover, along the Kajjansi-Munyonyo Road. His vehicle subsequently overturned and caught fire, leading to his instant death.
This occurrence left the nation in shock for the young Rajiv, who was aged only 35. Born on January 2, 1990, Rajiv had grown in his spirit of philanthropy.
After earning a degree in Financial Management from Regent’s University in London, he returned to Uganda and took charge of major projects like Speke Apartments, Kingdom Kampala, and Kampala Boulevard.
The Ruparelia Group had utilized his generous heart, and through him, invested in sustainability and community empowerment initiatives through its philanthropic wing, the Ruparelia Foundation.
He was deeply involved in initiatives that supported education, healthcare and environmental conservation initiatives.
