By Ambrose Mwesigye
At the beginning of October 2021, Rajiv Ruparelia, son of Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, moves to join Uganda’s music industry, setting up a music label, complete with a recording studio branded Night Shift studios.
The main focus at Night Shift studio according to Rajiv is on scouting for music talent across the country, giving upcoming music artists an open door to record songs nomatter their inability to meet studio fees.
To begin with, Night Shift on 4th October signed off little known but talented Jasper Ejiku all the way from Dokolo District as maiden engagement and resources are already pumped into this young man’s works to push his music career to standard and market.
The young man was accompanied by his father Omara Steven at the signing of the project, thereatr hosted by the Ruparelia Group for a social moment.
This can not be seen as mere act of philanthropy and is not one to go unnoticed, first because there are indeed thousands of talented young people all-over the country in the area of music and creative arts but have no access to production and promotion of their works due to financial constraints; a gap Rajiv and the Ruparelia Group are now bridging through the Nightshift Label Project.
Secondly, the Ruparelia’s have for the last couple of years built a brand around service to the people and societal economic growth. Rajiv, the young Ruparelia seems to be blending Patriotism in the business world, with a nose for social transformation of the underprivileged.
Just a month ago in September, Rajiv and the Victoria University leadership of Dr Muganga Lawrence were trending top when their decision to appoint a socialite of hitherto undermined background, Shanita Namuyimbwa aka Bad black as Brand ambassador, after orienting her into the need and acceptence to be supported by the University to acquire professional skills in digital marketing and English speaking went viral.
To the conservatives and stereotypes, this was an abomination for a University to associate with an illiterate and moreso of discussable ‘moral’ identity.
However, to the Ruparelia’s who have employed thousands of poor people in their multiple business, this was an opportunity to prove to the world that education at higher learning should be transformational and a vanguard of social economic values to the population an institution serves among other roles.
Badblack is now a learner and ambassador, soon she will Speak better English, write and also best utilise her thousands of following on social media, credit to Rajiv, Victoria University and the entire Ruparelia-Meera Group!
At the signing of the label with young little known artist Ejiku, Mr Rajiv said, “as the Ruparelia Foundation, through Night short studio and production, we will continue creating opportunities and harness the power of music to transform the lives of young musicians across the country. We will also strive to ensure gifted young musicians from low-income backgrounds flourish and support their talent,” a clear depiction of the blend of entrepreneurship and patriotism.
He added that their core will be the growth of the young lives we affect; inspiring examples of musical talent and life development.
The Ruparelia Foundation which was founded 10 years back has tangibly had a positive and economic empowerment impact on the community through multiple business ventures ranging from Education services, Real Estates, Banking, Hotel and Hospitality among others, all offering to Ugandans and contributing to the countries revenue base.
The move to create opportunities for and identifying with the underprivileged in society is an all-around corporate social responsibility act, but also a practical free-range incubation for entrepreneurship among the various individuals and groups effected as this tells a true story of the possibility of the poor raising to the attention of the well-to-do in harmonious society.
It is also warm slap in the face for Ugandans especially those in areas of influence to encourage the growth of local investment efforts that advance Patriotism in an economic sense and cause sustainable social transformation!
