“I love cars, speed, and I love adrenaline. Motorsport was just the incoming thing for me,” Rajiv Ruparelia said in a 2019 interview, justifying his decision to join motorsport.
Indeed, Ruparelia lived a life defined by speed, ambition, and an unyielding drive to carve his own path.
As the son of billionaire tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia, he was born into privilege, but he was far more than a beneficiary of his father’s legacy.
At just 34 years old, he had already established himself as a formidable leader, a passionate motor racing enthusiast, and a vibrant personality who embraced life with infectious enthusiasm.
Tragically, his journey was cut short in the early hours of today morning, when he perished in a fatal motor accident at the Busaabala Flyover.
Rajiv grew up in a family synonymous with entrepreneurial success. The Ruparelia Group, founded by his father, is a sprawling conglomerate with interests in banking, insurance, education, real estate, hospitality, and more.
With a net worth estimated at $1.2 billion, Sudhir Ruparelia is one of Uganda’s wealthiest individuals, and his children—Rajiv, Sheena, and Meera—were raised with the expectation of upholding and expanding this legacy.
Rajiv, however, was not content to merely inherit his father’s empire. He sought to modernize and diversify it, bringing a fresh perspective to a business that has shaped Uganda’s economic landscape for decades.
Rajiv’s ascent within the Ruparelia Group was marked by his appointment as Managing Director in 2017.
Under his leadership, the group’s real estate portfolio flourished, with landmark projects like the Kingdom Mall, Speke Apartments, and the Kampala Boulevard transforming Uganda’s urban skyline.
“Uganda is growing, and so are the needs of our people,” he once said, emphasizing his commitment to building infrastructure that served both the present and the future.
His achievements earned him a spot on the prestigious Choiseul 100 Africa 2024 list, which recognizes the continent’s top young leaders under 40.
A love for speed
Beyond the boardroom, Rajiv’s heart raced on the open road. A devoted fan of motor racing, he was a familiar figure in Uganda’s motorsport fraternity, where his love for high-performance vehicles and adrenaline-fueled competition shone brightly. He joined motorsport in 2018 debuting in a VW Polo Proto. For more than two years he participated in different motorsport events under the banner of Rajiv Rally Team.
“I am just here to have fun and finish rallies; that is my main focus. I will put a lot of effort and time to learn my team, my co-driver and mechanics then I can have a target in this sport,” he said
Indeed, his enthusiasm for motor racing was evident in his choice of vehicles, including the white Nissan GTR (UAT 638L) involved in his fatal accident.
Rajiv’s death will no doubt spark conversations about succession within the Ruparelia Group. Even before the tragedy, speculation had swirled about shifts in leadership, with some reports suggesting that his sister, Sheena Ruparelia, was taking on a more prominent role.
Since last year, Rajiv had cut back on his public presence, raising questions about whether Sheena, a director overseeing hospitality and real estate, was being groomed to lead. In fact, at one point he relocated to the United Kingdom, triggering speculation that he had fallen out with his father.
As an individual, Rajiv was approachable and spirited. He balanced the weight of responsibility with a zest for life. His love for motor racing was perhaps the purest expression of his personality. It was a space where he could escape the expectations of being Sudhir Ruparelia’s son and simply be himself—a thrill-seeker chasing the next rush.
This duality made him a relatable figure to many.
His death is a stark reminder of life’s fragility. One moment you are alive, another you are dead!
