By Our Reporter
BUKEDEA
Tycoon turned Philanthropist, Sudhir Ruparelia has won the hearts of Iteso after organizing a three day free eye medical camp at Bukedea Teaching Hospital in Bukedea District.
The Eye camp organised in memory of businessman Sudhir Ruparelia’s son Rajiv Ruparelia, who died in a May 3, 2025 road crash started on 27th March, 2026 and ended on Sunday, 29th March, 2026.
Sudhir also announced a package of 50 million shillings towards the Kingdom of Teso during the closing ceremony of the three day eye camp held at the Bukedea Teaching Hospital in Eastern Uganda, on Sunday, 29th March, 2026.
In appreciation, His Highness, Emorimor of Teso, Paul Sande Emolot inducted Sudhir and his wife Jostina Ruparelia into the Teso Community baptizing him, “Eminat Sudhir.”
The Iteso belong to the Ateker (or “Jie”) cluster of Plains Nilotes, sharing close ancestry with the Turkana, Karamojong, Toposa, and Maasai.
In Uganda, they primarily occupy the Teso sub-region (Soroti, Kumi, Katakwi, Ngora, Serere, etc.), and in Kenya, they are located in Busia, Bungoma, and Trans-Nzoia counties.
The three-day camp organised by the Ruparelia Foundation aimed to provide over 300 cataract surgeries (including 50 for children), over 1,000 free pairs of glasses (reading and corrective) and free eye screenings and consultations.
Eye problems in Uganda are a major public health concern, with untreated cataracts causing nearly 50 per cent of bilateral blindness. Other major issues include glaucoma, uncorrected refractive errors, and childhood blindness. Key challenges include limited access to specialists, equipment shortages, and high treatment costs.
Sudhir also delivered to the people of Bukedea a brand new ambulance donated by the Rt. Hon Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among and the MP Elect, David Beecham Okwere.
Ruparelia was born in Kabatoro, Kasese District in the Western Region of Uganda to an upper-middle-class Indian Gujarati family.
His great-grandfather moved from India to Mombasa, Kenya in 1897, and set up a trading store there, before moving to Uganda in 1903. His grandfather was born in Uganda in 1908 and his father was also born in Uganda in 1932.
Ruparelia attended Bat Valley Primary School in Kampala, from P1 to P6, then Jinja Main Street Primary School in Jinja for P7 and Jinja Secondary School. In 1971, he joined Kololo Senior Secondary School.
Ruparelia fled to the United Kingdom with his parents in 1972 at the age of 16, when then Ugandan president Idi Amin expelled all Asians from Uganda.
Ruparelia returned to Uganda in 1985, with US$25,000 earned from several casual jobs including working in supermarkets, factories, and butcheries. Ruparelia started selling beer and spirits imported from Kenya.
In 1989, beer importation was banned to encourage local brewing of alcohol, and he realized he could not make beer. But since his customers, who were mainly foreigners, paid him in foreign currency, he started Crane Forex Bureau, the first in Uganda. With his profits, Mr Ruparelia ventured into other businesses, including forming Crane Bank in 1995. Later, he organized his businesses under the umbrella of the Ruparelia Group.
In 2007, Ruparelia was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in business by the Uganda Pentecostal University in recognition of his contribution to Uganda’s economic growth.
