Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia has been elected one of the Trustees of the Indian Association of Uganda.
Established in 1922 the association brings together over 27,000 Indians living in Uganda for sustainable and mutual development and charitable cause.
The board of trustees is the highest decision making body of the association.
Dr. Ruparelia is the founder and Chairman of the Ruparelia Group, one of Uganda’s largest business conglomerates with investments in financial services, real estate, education services, hospitality, agriculture and media/broadcasting.
A self-made billionaire entrepreneur, he was born in Uganda in 1956 and in 1972 together with his parents, relocated to the United Kingdom, following the then President Idi Amin Dada’s expulsion of Asians.
The Ruparelias have a long history with Uganda. His great-grandfather reached Mombasa, Kenya in 1897 from India and set up a trading store there before coming to Uganda in 1903. His grandfather was born in Uganda in 1918 and his father in 1932.
While in the UK Dr Ruparelia did various menial jobs and completed his “O“ and “A” Level Education. After completing high school, he worked at various companies as an accountant, before returning to Uganda in 1985.
Redefining the CFO Role in Oil and Gas: Inside How UNOC’s Emmanuel Mugagga Is Executing Strategy for National ImpactArmed with savings of just $25,000 (about Sh65m), he together working with his wife and through a series of greenfield investments, acquisitions, joint ventures and expansions has built the Ruparelia Group into an over $1.1 billion conglomerate.
To date, the group is a major investor, employer and taxpayer- a major source of livelihood, directly to over, 8,000 employees, many of whom are women.
Through the Ruparelia Foundation, group businesses are regular and substantial supporters of various corporate social activities in sports, healthcare, arts and culture, heritage and religion, environmental and wildlife conservation, agricultural research, education and talent development.
Individually and as a family, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia also participates in many philanthropic endeavors to alleviate poverty and hardship amongst disadvantaged members of Ugandan communities.
On 25th October 2007, in recognition of his great economic contribution to Uganda, he was distinguished with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Uganda Pentecostal University. On October 9th 2013, he was honoured by the President of Uganda with the Golden Jubilee Presidential Medal by His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, again for his contribution towards the economy of Uganda.
Forbes Magazine, in 2014 recognized him as the 24th Wealthiest Person in Africa and No.1 in Uganda and East Africa.
