Dear Rajiv,
From all of us at Watchdog Uganda, we miss you deeply, Rajiv. Your absence leaves a void in our hearts, yet we feel your spirit soaring, basking in the glory of knowing you live on in the souls of countless Ugandans and across continents. Your tragic passing on May 3, 2025, in a fiery crash at the Busabala Flyover, where your Nissan GTR collided with unmarked concrete barriers, shook us to our core. The flames that claimed you could not dim your radiance. On May 6, 2025, at the Hindu Crematorium in Lugogo, thousands gathered, their tears blending with tributes as we bid you farewell. Speaker Anita Among called you “a visionary leader”; President Museveni hailed your “unwavering commitment to Uganda’s progress.” These words echoed what we, as journalists, witnessed: you were extraordinary.
Rajiv, you were a man of the people and the stars—humble yet unapologetically bold. You walked among us with a smile that warmed, a heart that gave, and a vision that built. As Managing Director of the Ruparelia Group, you transformed real estate, education, and hospitality, creating jobs for over 8,500 Ugandans. Victoria University, under your fearless leadership, grew from 143 students to over 8,700, a testament to your belief in education’s transformative power. Through the Ruparelia Foundation, you funded scholarships for talents like Felister de Superstar, built homes in slums, and championed clean water. We reported on your generosity, dubbing you “Mr. Philanthropy,” because giving was your pulse. Your rally racing passion, leading the RR Rally Team, revived motorsport, inspiring youth to chase dreams with courage. Angels surely welcomed you with a parade, for you lived with purpose, leaving a legacy of compassion and ambition.
To those you left behind, your life is a clarion call. You taught your generation to blend humility with audacity—to live large but love larger. You showed us that wealth is measured in lives touched, not bank accounts. Ugandan youth look to you as a beacon: a man who, at 35, turned privilege into progress. You inspired them to dream globally while rooting for Uganda, to innovate fearlessly, as you did with Kingdom Kampala Mall. Your legacy urges: work hard, give generously, embrace passion. For Uganda, you were a patriot whose investments—schools, hotels, jobs—stitched hope into our nation’s fabric, stories we proudly covered.
What can we learn from you, Rajiv? To live intentionally, balancing discipline with daring. You showed that leadership is personal—inspecting sites in rolled-up sleeves, greeting fans, uplifting the marginalized. As journalists, we saw your authenticity. The living today, and generations tomorrow, can take your blueprint: build, uplift, inspire. Your life pushes us to confront challenges—like the poor road signage that claimed you—ensuring safety and progress, a cause we’ll continue to champion. You remind us to cherish family, as you did your daughter Inara, your wife Naiya, and parents Sudhir and Jyotsna.
Rajiv, your story lives on, etched in our hearts and the pages of Watchdog Uganda. If we could whisper one word to you, it would be: Legacy. Your legacy is our compass, guiding us to live with your fire, kindness, and vision. We miss you, but we feel you—in every scholarship granted, every rally cheered, every heart you warmed. Shine on, dear friend, in paradise’s embrace, as we strive to honor you through our work.
With love and eternal gratitude,
The Watchdog Uganda Team
