A bird’ s-eye view of the Ruparelia Residence. Although the general house was designed mainly by Jyostna Ruparelia, Sudhir’s wife, working together with Kristine Kirsten, the Group architect, each of the Ruparelia family members had a chance to design their own living spaces.
Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia is undoubtedly Uganda’s richest man and one of East Africa’s top 5 wealthy people.
His Meera Investments Ltd is the largest developer of commercial and residential space, with over 300 properties all over Uganda and owns the largest number of ongoing real estate projects and is the biggest private owner of commercial land in Kampala.
The businessman also owns homes and properties in Dubai and London.
In total, the Ruparelia Group is composed of 28 companies and counting- cutting across financial services, real estate, education services, hospitality, agriculture and media/broadcasting. The group provides a major source of livelihood, directly to over, 8,000 employees, many of whom are women.
A billion dollar look- Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, cigar in hand, arrives for the guided tour of his The Ruparelia Residence
Many of us have seen his expansive and imposing mansion on Plot 9, Kawalya Kaggwa Close, in lower Kololo but few have rarely had a chance of having an eye feast on the inside.
How does the billionaire sleep and how big is his bed and his bedroom? What does his bathroom look like? Does he cook like the rest of us? How many domestic staff does he have? When it comes to furnishing and fittings, does his taste augur class and style? Where does he cut his hair from?
The CEO East Africa Magazine, has secured an exclusive guided tour of the kingly mansion by none, other than Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia himself; but first, here are 10 quick facts about the mansion.
Officially, Dr Sudhir Ruparelia’s home, is called The Ruparelia Residence.
The current house sits on Plot 9 Kawalya Kaggwa Road. Sudhir bought the property in 1990 at a cost of USD200,000 and paid in instalments. The old house would later be brought down to pave way for the new Ruparelia Residence.
The house has 4 levels. Built up area is 9,000 square meters while parking, gardens and swimming pool, consists of another 4,000 square meters- altogether a total of 13,000 square meters- more than half of the 22,000 sqm Kampala Kingdom Mall.
The House has 16 bedrooms- 8 for staff and 8 for the Ruparelia Family. The 8 bedrooms of the Ruparelia Family, consist of a 3-bedroom wing for Rajiv Ruparelia, 1 bedroom for the senior Ruparelias, 1 for Sheena Ruparelia, 1 for Meera Ruparelia and 2 others for guests.
Although the general house was designed mainly by Jyostna Ruparelia, Sudhir’s wife, working together with Kristine Kirsten the Group architect, each of the Ruparelia family members, had a chance to design their own living spaces.
The house cost USD10 million to design, build, equip and finish. The whole process took 4 years.
Other than the 16 bedrooms, the house also has a banquet room that sits 120 people, 5 kitchens, several lounges, several dining rooms, more than 3 bars, a 12-seater cinema, a wine cellar, a fully equipped gym, saloon and spa, Hammam (Turkish bath), a laundry room and a cafeteria for the domestic workers.
The temperature-controlled wine-cellar holds 33,000 bottles of 200 varieties of assorted wines and whiskeys;
The house is run by a complement of 46 domestic workers
The entire house has smart temperature and sound control. According to Dr. Sudhir, the average electricity bill to run the home is UGX28 million. Yes. 28 million!
Enjoy and be inspired!
An overhead view of the 13,000 square metre and US$ 10 million mansion. Credit: www.bigeye.ugThe home office and cigar room are equally ornately furnished and have a rustic yet cosmopolitan feel. They are completed by a richly stocked bar with all the major tribes of wines and liquor.A fully stocked bar sits on one of the walls in the opulently embellished cigar room that also doubles as Sudhir’s home office.Family is where the heart lies. Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia shows us one of the many wall photos that tell the family story.Sudhir reaches for his favourite wine, a vintage Rupert & Rothschild wine. The wine is a delicate product of years of French and South African Minecraft. A second view of the master bedroom, with the electric curtains closed and mood lighting on. Most of the functions in the master bedroom are automated.A fresh supply of vintage wines is yet to be curated in the custom-built wine cellar. Sudhir advises that white wine is best stored at 5°C while red wine should be stored and consumed at about 15°-17°They say wine and wealth and intimately connected like conjoined twins. Sudhir shows-off his wine collection in the expansive custom-built and temperature controlled wine cellar. The cellar contains over 33,000 bottles from over 200 hundred varieties of Sudhir’s best wines and liquor. “Wherever I see good wines I buy,” he told usSudhir’s wardrobe is a nearly all-white collection of the world’s biggest designer brands. Common brands here include luxury French designers Lacoste and Louis Vuitton, as well as Tod’s, an Italian luxury fashion house. But there are several other reputable brands in the closet. A set of two winding flights of stairs leads to the first and second floors, where the living quarters are located.Part of the shoe collection is in the walk-in closet. His wardrobe largely consists of white shoes, trousers and shirts/t-shirts. Common brands here include luxury French designers- Lacoste and Louis Vuitton, as well as Tod’s, an Italian luxury fashion house. But there are several other reputable brands in the closet. A corner view of Sheena Ruparelia’s bedroom featuring a round bed personal working space and bathroom fused into oneInside, Sheena Ruparelia’s bathroom features a major cities of the world look. Each of the Ruparelia Family members personally designed their living spaces according to tastes and colours.This is another view of the Spa and salon, where the family does all their grooming. Specialists are called on demand to offer different services.A staircase view of the 7-metre chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. A fully stocked bar is on one of the walls in the opulently embellished cigar room, which also serves as Sudhir’s home office.The massage parlour within the Spa & Salon on the first floorSudhir leads us from the master bedroom to the walk-in closet and through the bathroom area. The toilet area alone is nearly 2 times the size of a typical Kampala master bedroom. The home office and cigar room are equally ornately furnished and have a rustic yet cosmopolitan feel. They are completed by a richly stocked bar with all the major tribes of wines and liquor.Inside the Hammam (Turkish bath) at The Ruparelia Residence. A typical Turkish bath starts with relaxation in a room heated by a continuous flow of hot steam, allowing the bather to sweat out impurities. Bathers are then bathed with cold water and massaged, and then finally retire to the cooling room to fully restore body temperatures.On the top-most floor is a fully equipped gym with all the latest equipment. This is where Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia spends most of his mornings. A master view of the expansive master bedroom. The bed is eclipsed by other furnishings that, at first entry into the room, it is easy to miss.The main sitting room has a very high ceiling, ornate furniture and fittings, and an exquisite 7-metre chandelier.This is the first house occupied by the Ruparelias. Although he returned to Uganda in 1985, Sudhir did not buy his first property until 1990- at the cost of USD200,000, paid in instalments. He would later buy an adjacent property to extend his home but eventually razed both houses to create space for the current home- The Ruparelia Residence.Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia shows off a bottle of his favourite wine- a Rupert & Rothschild vintage. Vintage, in winemaking, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product—wine. A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year.Family is where the heart lies. Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia shows us one of the many wall photos that tell the family story.One of the many dining rooms in the house is often used by the family because of its smaller size. The other dining rooms are quite sizeable and are often used on occasions when there are guests in the house.An opulent look inside the house from the main entrance with a view of the main lounge (bottom) and a double flight of winding stairs leading up to the main living quarters. This is the fully equipped sports bar with 5 large TV screens. The bar is part of the Outside Entertainment and includes a banqueting hall that can accommodate 120 people seated. The hall has great views of lower Kololo and upper Nakasero, strides across the swimming pool and has its own modern kitchenDr. Sudhir tends to the family dogs- an army of bulldogsNot too bright and not too dull- a well-illuminated corridor in the residence. The Ruparelia Residence uses about UGX28 million worth of electricity every month- enough to power a small factory.Reclining leather couches and a rich but conservative finish grace the 12-seater cinema room within the business.Sudhir is well-known for his love for fine cigars. Here, he shows off one of his designer cigar- lighters.Another view of the bar within the outer entertainment area
Muhereza Kyamutetera is the Executive Editor of CEO East Africa Magazine. I am a travel enthusiast and the Experiences & Destinations Marketing Manager at EDXTravel. Extremely Ugandaholic. Ask me about #1000Reasons2ExploreUganda and how to Take Your Place In The African Sun.
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