A cloud of sorrow hung heavily over the Hindu Crematorium in Lugogo, Kampala, as family, friends, and dignitaries gathered to bid a tearful farewell to Rajiv Ruparelia, the only son of prominent businessman Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia.
The emotionally charged ceremony, held this afternoon, drew a crowd united in grief. Prayers were led by Hindu priests in accordance with traditional rites, but it was during the final moments that the atmosphere became especially poignant. Overcome by emotion, the Ruparelia family broke down, visibly shaken by the immense weight of their loss.
Rajiv Ruparelia, 35, tragically lost his life on Saturday, May 3, in a high-speed car crash at the Busabala Flyover in Wakiso District. His Nissan GTR struck pavement barriers, overturned, and caught fire, claiming his life on the spot. He was meant to serve as a groomsman later that day at the wedding of his close friend, Jonathan Bahizi Buteera, son of retired Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera.
The Ruparelia family issued a heartfelt statement following the incident, describing Rajiv’s death as a profound loss and requesting privacy during their time of mourning. A vigil has been ongoing at the family residence in Kololo since the tragedy.
Rajiv Ruparelia was the Managing Director of the Ruparelia Group, where he played a key role in expanding the family’s investments in real estate, hospitality, education, and banking. Beyond the boardroom, he was also a beloved motorsport enthusiast, widely credited with revitalizing rally racing in Uganda through the Rajiv Ruparelia Rally Team.
His untimely death has reignited public concern over road safety and infrastructure standards, with particular focus on the Najjanankumbi–Busabala road project managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). Eyewitnesses have pointed to poor lighting and a lack of signage as contributing factors in the fatal accident.
As the cremation rites continue, tributes continue to pour in from across the country. Business leaders, political figures, and members of the public have all shared messages of condolence, remembering Rajiv as a visionary, a philanthropist, and a man of boundless energy whose promising life was cut tragically short.
