Sudhir Links Indian Preacher Shastri with Nabbanja in Kampala Talks

Business magnate Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia on Sunday brought together Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and Indian spiritual leader Shri Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, in a meeting that highlighted both cultural exchange and the strengthening of ties between Uganda and India.

The courtesy call took place at the Office of the Prime Minister, just days after Uganda joined the Indian community in celebrating India’s 79th Independence Day in Kampala.

Shri Shastri, also known to his followers as Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, is a 29-year-old preacher from Madhya Pradesh whose gatherings, often referred to as divine courts, attract tens of thousands in India and beyond. His visit to Uganda was aimed at connecting with the Indian community while fostering broader people-to-people relations.

Prime Minister Nabbanja, dressed in a floral gomesi with a yellow sash, welcomed the cleric with warm words, describing the meeting as a symbol of “friendship and unity” between the two nations. She noted that Uganda places high value on its longstanding relationship with India, which remains one of the country’s largest investors, and underlined the role of interfaith dialogue in building social cohesion.

Dr. Ruparelia, who has been at the forefront of advocating for recognition of Asians as Uganda’s 66th tribe, said the visit went beyond ceremony. “This is a bridge of cultures and an opportunity to strengthen bonds that run deeper than business,” he said, adding that shared values and community interactions lay the groundwork for stronger bilateral relations. He was joined by businessman and politician Sanjay Tanna, who accompanied the delegation.

Photographs from the meeting captured symbolic exchanges, including the presentation of the spiritual text Sita Ram by Shri Shastri to the Prime Minister. The preacher, clad in traditional attire and marked with a forehead tilak, stood alongside Nabbanja in front of Ugandan and Indian flags, a gesture observers described as underscoring mutual respect and unity. Another image showing Tanna kneeling beside Sudhir before the cleric circulated widely on social media, sparking conversations across different platforms.

India remains a strategic partner for Uganda, with significant investment in key sectors such as agriculture, hospitality, manufacturing, and ICT. The Indian community in Uganda, numbering around 30,000, continues to contribute substantially to trade, philanthropy, and industry. Analysts argue that visits such as Shastri’s, while spiritual in nature, also carry soft diplomatic weight by reinforcing connections between the diaspora and Uganda’s development agenda.

For Dr. Ruparelia, the event was yet another demonstration of his influence as a link between the Ugandan government and the Asian community. Widely regarded as Uganda’s wealthiest businessman, he has long used his platform to bridge cultural and economic relationships. The presence of Shri Shastri, he suggested, was not only a spiritual encounter but a reminder of how cultural diplomacy can enrich national ties.