By Frank Kamuntu
The audience leaned forward as Patrick Bitature paused during his keynote address, his usually confident voice softening. “Let me tell you about the phone call that changed everything,” Uganda’s telecom mogul began, revealing for the first time the full story of how Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia became his unlikely business compass.
It was 2003, and a young Bitature had just made his first fortune from MTN. Flush with cash and ambition, he was moments away from signing papers to launch a commercial bank when his phone rang. “Sudhir didn’t congratulate me,” Bitature recalled with a chuckle. “He simply said, ‘Meet me at Kabira Club in one hour. Don’t sign anything until we talk.’” What followed was a four-hour mentoring session that would redirect Bitature’s entire career trajectory.
Over fresh passion fruit juice at a secluded corner table, Ruparelia sketched out Uganda’s coming economic landscape on a napkin. “He showed me why real estate would outperform banking in the next decade,” Bitature shared. “Then he personally introduced me to three land brokers the next morning.” That advice proved prescient when the 2008 financial crisis devastated new banks, while Bitature’s property holdings soared in value.
The mentorship didn’t stop there. When Bitature later considered venturing into hotel development, Sudhir unexpectedly advised against it. “He told me, ‘Patrick, Uganda needs power more than pillows.’ That’s how I ended up in energy generation instead.” These pivotal interventions reveal Ruparelia’s unique approach to mentorship – not creating competitors, but cultivating complementary businesses that strengthen Uganda’s entire private sector ecosystem.
Their relationship operates in quiet gestures rather than formal arrangements. A handwritten note suggesting Bitature look at a particular industrial park. A casual lunch where Sudhir would mention an emerging consumer trend. Sometimes just a raised eyebrow at the right moment during deal negotiations. “He never gives you the fish,” Bitature explained. “Just the perfect fishing rod at the perfect time.”
This low-profile guidance extends beyond Bitature. The founder of a major supermarket chain credits Sudhir with steering him away from textiles. A top manufacturer still uses the imported machinery specifications Sudhir scribbled on hotel stationery. Even former employees have blossomed under his discreet support – like his one-time driver who now owns three successful mid-range hotels.
As Bitature concluded his remarks, he left the young entrepreneurs with a profound thought: “We celebrate self-made success stories, but behind most great businesses are quiet mentors like Sudhir. His real legacy isn’t just his empire, but all the empires he helped others build without ever demanding credit.” The standing ovation that followed wasn’t just for Bitature’s success, but for the unseen mentorship culture that continues to shape Uganda’s economic future.
