Sudhir, Jyotsna Mark One Year Since Son’s Tragic Death with Heartfelt Tribute

Dr Sudhir Ruparelia and his wife Jyotsna have marked one year since the death of their son Rajiv with a written tribute that speaks to a grief the couple say has never left them, only changed shape with time.

In the message, titled “A Year in the Light of Rajiv’s Memory,” the two reflected on the weight of losing a child and took time to thank the Ugandans who stayed close to them through the months that followed.

“To lose a son is to carry a silence the world cannot hear, a quiet, enduring ache that time does not erase, but gently reshapes,” the tribute reads.

Rajiv died in a road accident one year ago, a loss that prompted an outpouring of condolences from political leaders, business people and motorsport fans around the country. He had played a hands-on role in the Ruparelia Group, the family’s business empire with interests in real estate, hospitality, education and finance. Away from work, he was a rally driver with a reputation as one of the most exciting competitors in Ugandan motorsport.

Sudhir and Jyotsna wrote that despite his absence, their connection to Rajiv has not wavered. “In that silence, the bond we share with our son remains unbroken, alive in every cherished memory, every story retold, and every act of kindness inspired by his life,” they wrote.

The family marked the anniversary on Sunday May 3 with two events held in his name. In the morning, they hosted a prosthetic limbs camp at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where more than 40 amputees received or were assessed for artificial legs. The family described it as a reflection of how Rajiv lived, generous and focused on the people around him. In the afternoon, a memorial drive set off from RR Towers to Speke Resort Munyonyo, with members of the motorsport community, friends and admirers joining to celebrate the side of Rajiv that loved cars and the open road.

The tribute ended with a line the family said captures how they intend to keep his memory alive. “Though a year has passed, our remembrance is not bound by time. It lives on, steadfast, beautiful, and eternal.”