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Miraj Barot

Miraj Barot, born on 26-4-1988, is a Ugandan millionaire businessman of Indian origin, entrepreneur and industrialist, who has been awarded Presidential Prize for entreprenuership. He is one of the wealthiest people in Uganda. He is man born with silver spoon, but making a golden one for himself.

Background

Miraj was born on 26-4-1988 in Nadiad, Gujarat, India, to Mr. Hahsad Barot, and Mrs. Parul Barot (Poonam), both of Gujarat, India.

Miraj started his business career straight after his A-Levels, in Uganda, under his father, Hashad Barot, an illustrious Indian Businessman who came to Uganda in 1994, and started investing in real estate. He constructed the first condominium structures in Owino Market, called Tirupati Ovwino Mall, in downtown, Kampala.

His father, Hashad Barot, is the chairman and founder of Tirupati Development, a leading real estate company in Uganda.The family moved to Uganda from a small village in India two decades ago and the young Barot was raised and had his short stint of formal education in Uganda.The young tycoon considers business to be his calling in life. He revealing that this was the reason he dropped out of school early to nurture his business acumen.“Business is my life. Right from the start I didn’t want to waste time having realised that I was born to do business and become successful at it. I go about my work passionately,” he says.

From there he expanded into other real estate projects, including, Tirupati Mazima Mall, in Nsambya, Kampala, amongst others. Today, his businesses have subsidiaries in Uganda.

''“It’s true that my father worked hard to bring the business to a certain level, but it has been my duty to bring it to greater heights. What I can say is that I was born with a silver spoon and turned it into gold. It’s important to consider how people started and get to learn a few things from their struggle than looking at their current status,”'' he contends.

The passion for business and the desire to build on what his father had already started took hold in him early. Having successfully run his father’s business empire, Miraj decided to start his own company, Tulip, also dealing in real estate. Tulip has got branches in India. In total, he is a director of eight companies some of which are in India. He is the Joint Managing Director of Tirupati Development and a shareholder in the same company.Miraj sees his father as his mentor and business coach, a friend with whom they share ideas from time to time.“I got all this passion for business from my father. Whenever we would sit down we would talk about business, my father taught me a lot of things, he taught me what some rich fathers wouldn’t teach their children,” he says.Miraj says he thrives on hard work and taking on new and challenging tasks each day. He says that his life would be incomplete if he did not put in his life’s best in execution of his business tasks.

Education

He attended A-Level education in Uganda, and soon joined business working under his father's mentorship.

Barot went to school at Agha Khan Primary and Secondary Schools and then Hillside Academy where he finished his A' Level. He did not continue with education as he had to urgently take on management of his father's business empire. "The passion for business and the desire to build on what my father had already started took hold of me, seeing me join my father in management of his company at just 14," recalls Barot. His father allowed him to accompany him in most of his business deals.

Business Interests

Now 23, Barot assumed management of his father's business empire in 2002, at just 14. Some of his projects are Mazima Mall in Nsambya, Ovino Market, Tirupati Business Park along the Northern Bypass. The Business Park is the first of its kind in Uganda designed for SMEs. What we build is 100% owned by Ugandans.We are also launching into sugar production this year. Last year we acquired a sugar trading and production license from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. We have a sugarcane plantation in Nakasongola which stretches over 9,500 acres and a sugar factory at Najjera in Wakiso which will out 2,500 tonnes of sugar a day.Overall, Tirupati employs 47,500 Ugandans directly and indirectly, and our total investment in the period of five years stands at over 500 Million US Dollars.Tirupati is organising a mega launch in February this year, it will be a special occasion to thank everyone who has supported us.

Miraj Barot owns the following businesses either wholly or in part:


 * Tirupati Mazima Mall
 * Bio Waste Uganda Limited
 * Tulip Group
 * Tirupati Ovino Market
 * Tirupati Nkumba Hostels
 * Tirupati Apartments, Bugolobi
 * Tirupati Apartments, Kamokya
 * Virat Alloys
 * Tirupati Quarry
 * Mining

Civil Status

Miraj is engaged to be married to Ms. Kruti Rao.

Awards

Was honored among the "Young Achievers" to watch for by the Uganda National Chamber of commerce.

At 22, Miraj Barot already has what many can`t achieve in a lifetime. Rather than cry for car assembling plants, Uganda would be better served with strategic well managed small scale industries and enterprises. According to Miraj Barot, whose company Bio Waste Management (BWM) recently won an innovation award in the service category at the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) annual awards, Uganda can do it the China or India way, start small then grow big.

Favourites


 * Car: Range Rover EVOQUE
 * Food: Indian Cuisines/pizza
 * Drinks: White wines and Coco-cola
 * Ideal woman: Beautiful, hardworking from Hindu culture
 * Memorable moment: When he is with his family
 * Hangouts: club Vemon and friends homes
 * Famous quote: Success depends on how you behave when you have everything and when you have nothing.-

Links/References