In a candid and heartfelt acknowledgment, Patrick Bitature, one of Uganda’s most prominent businessmen and the owner of Simba Telecom, lauded Sudhir Ruparelia for his unmatched business prowess and mentorship.
Speaking about the importance of practical business skills, Bitature emphasized that the cream of society must engage in business for the country to thrive.
Drawing a comparison with global institutions, Bitature noted, “Countries like America are proud of Harvard. The cream goes to Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School. We need engineers and doctors in our society. But unless we have the cream of our society doing business, we will not succeed as a country.”
He went on to commend Sudhir Ruparelia, Uganda’s leading property mogul, for his remarkable achievements despite not attending the world’s most prestigious universities. “His IQ is very high but he never attended these highly rated institutions. Yet, he is the biggest property mogul in this country. The only person who has more property than him may be the Kabaka. Otherwise, no other individual has what he owns.”
Bitature’s respect for Ruparelia goes beyond admiration; it is rooted in personal experience. He revealed that Sudhir played a pivotal role in his journey into the property business. “He held my hand when I was getting into property, and I was scared. I was this young man, fast-rising in business who had gotten money in MTN and bought a house. But he held my hand and said, ‘I want to teach you business.’”
These revelations highlight the impact of mentorship and practical knowledge in building business empires. As two of Uganda’s most influential business figures, both Sudhir Ruparelia and Patrick Bitature continue to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Patrick Bitature is the chairman of Simba Group, a conglomerate with interests in telecommunications, real estate, power generation, and tourism. Starting from humble beginnings, he built Simba Telecom into one of the leading telecommunications companies in East Africa.
Sudhir Ruparelia, founder of the Ruparelia Group, is one of Uganda’s wealthiest individuals. His business empire spans real estate, banking, education, and hospitality.
He is renowned for his vast property holdings, making him a key figure in Uganda’s economic landscape.
