Kampala: Prominent Ugandan businessman and philanthropist Rajiv Ruparelia has died in a tragic road accident along Kampala Southern Bypass highway. Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire described the incident as a “single fatal crash.”
Witnesses and video footage from the scene showed the car engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing from the wreckage.
Authorities have not yet released an official report on the cause of the crash, but the vehicle was reduced to scrap metal by the time first responders arrived.
Traffic Police spokesperson, Michael Kananura said, “Preliminary investigations indicate that the driver lost control of the vehicle after colliding with temporary pavements installed at the roundabout section of the flyover.”
“The vehicle subsequently overturned and caught fire, leading to the instant death of the driver, identified as Rajiv Ruparelia.”
Rajiv, the son of Ugandan business magnate Sudhir Ruparelia, served as the Managing Director of the Ruparelia Group, one of Uganda’s largest privately-owned conglomerates with interests in real estate, education, hospitality, and finance.
Born on January 2, 1990, Rajiv was educated in the UK, earning a degree in Financial Management from Regent’s University London. He returned to Uganda in 2014 and steadily rose through the ranks of the family business. In addition to business, Rajiv was a passionate motorsport enthusiast and rally driver. He founded the Rajiv Ruparelia Rally Team and played a key role in reviving rally racing in Uganda.
Condelences from H.E. Nimisha Madhvani
H.E. Nimisha Madhvani, Ugandan High Commissioner to UK, while expressing her condolences to Thakrar and Nagrecha families over the untimely death of Rajiv Ruparelia, said, “he was a bright and dynamic young member of our Ugandan community and also a symbol of hope and inspiration for the younger generation. His energy, ambition, and kindness to us all in London left a lasting impact on those who knew him. We pray that God grants his soul eternal peace and gives strength to his family friends to bear this loss.”
