“I Should Never Have Let You Go In That Speedy Car” Rajiv Ruparelia’s Mother Regrets Not Having Done This On The Day Her Son Died In An Accident
Jyotsna Ruparelia, heartbroken and reflective, mourned the untimely loss of her 35-year-old son, Rajiv Ruparelia, who died in a car crash early Saturday morning in Busabala, along the Munyonyo-Kajjansi spur.
Speaking at the Hindu Crematorium in Lugogo, Kampala, she tearfully addressed the mourners, saying, “I should never have let you go in that speedy car. I would have stopped you.”
Among the dignitaries in attendance were Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and several high-ranking government officials.
Recalling Rajiv’s return home the night before the tragedy, Jyotsna expressed regret at missing a final moment. “You said, ‘Mama! I am back’ as you passed in the corridor. I’m so sorry, son—I didn’t hear you. I should have come out sooner.”
She asked for her son’s forgiveness for any wrongs and acknowledged how Rajiv had built a distinct identity beyond the Ruparelia family name. “Rajiv, I am so proud of you,” she said, vowing to carry on his legacy by continuing his charitable efforts and constructing a tower in honor of his daughter, Naira. “You wanted a Naira Tower, and that will be our next project. We will take care of Naira. Rest in peace, son. We are going to miss you. It will be hard, but we must let go.”
In a moment of vulnerability, she added, “I’m sorry if I treated you like a child. But a mother’s love is like that—always trying to guide and protect.”
Rajiv’s father, Sudhir Ruparelia, expressed profound grief and admiration. “Rajiv left us far too soon. As a father, I carry the unbearable weight of losing him, but also immense pride in having raised such a remarkable son. His energy lit up every room and inspired everyone he encountered.”
He also recalled Rajiv’s love for rally driving and the concern he once expressed over his son’s safety.
Rajiv’s wife, Naiya Khagram Ruparelia, shared a moving tribute, calling him her “first real love,” a man whose presence was “passionately magnetic and impossible to ignore.”
Speaker Among conveyed heartfelt condolences from President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni, who contributed Shs50 million in support. The President also recognized the Ruparelia family’s significant contributions to Uganda’s economy.
Former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi offered words of comfort, reflecting on Rajiv’s enduring legacy. “Though he is no longer with us in body, his spirit will forever live in our hearts and in the impact he made on us all.”
