Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, has been named an Honorary Consul of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal to Uganda, CEO East Africa Magazine, can exclusively reveal.
According to our sources, the formal ceremony will take place in the first week of March 2020 in Kampala and will be presided over by his Excellency Ambassador Jhabindra Aryal Rajdoot, the Nepalese Ambassador to Egypt. A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another state often for the purposes of fostering the commercial affairs of its citizens in that foreign country and performing such routine functions as issuing visas and renewing passports.
With an estimated population of 26.4 million, it is the 48th largest country by population and 93rd largest country by area. It borders China in the north and India in the south, east and west while Bangladesh is located within only 27 km of its southeastern tip and Bhutan is separated from it by the Indian state of Sikkim. Nepal is better known for being home to eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city. Its nominal GDP is USD29.8 billion and USD94.4 billion PPP) and its income per capita is USD1,048 (nominal) and USD3,318 (PPP)
Who is Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia?
Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia is the founder and Chairman of the Ruparelia Group, one of Uganda’s largest business conglomerates with 28 companies invested in financial services, real estate, education services, hospitality, agriculture, and media/broadcasting. A self-made billionaire entrepreneur, he was born in Uganda 1956 and in 1972 together with his parents, relocated to the United Kingdom, following the then President Idi Amin Dada’s expulsion of Asians. While in the UK he did various menial jobs and completed his “O“and “A” Level Education.
After completing high school, he worked at various companies as an accountant and doubling as a cab driver after work, before returning to Uganda in 1985. Armed 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 and is 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.
He has previously been recognized with an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by the Uganda Pentecostal University, on the 25th October 2007. He was also honoured with the Golden Jubilee Presidential Medal by His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda on 9th Oct 2013 for his contribution towards the economy of Uganda. Forbes Magazine in 2014, recognized him as the 24th Wealthiest Person in Africa. He has also been severally recognized by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as a top and compliant taxpayer. In recognition of his contribution towards Individual Rental Income Tax for the financial year 2016/1. The East Africa Book of Records (EABOR) Secretariat on the 16th of November 2018 recognised him with an East Africa Business Leadership Award. Dr. Sudhir was in 2018 appointed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) as an honorary wildlife ambassador in recognition of his conservation efforts. In March 2019, the businessman was also recognised as a Lifetime Tourism Achiever by the organisers of the Ekkula Pearl of Africa Tourism Awards.