NAIROBI — Ishwar J. Rughani, a director of Text Book Centre and a prominent figure associated with Sarit Centre, has died at the age of 83.
According to a family announcement issued on June 9, Rughani passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2026.
“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the sad demise of Ishwar J. Rughani of Text Book Centre and The Sarit Centre, on Sunday, 7th June 2026, at the age of 83 years,” the family said in a statement.
Rughani was widely respected in Kenya’s business community and played a key role in the growth of Text Book Centre, one of the country’s leading booksellers and educational supplies firms. He was also associated with Sarit Centre, one of Kenya’s most established shopping malls.
The family announced that final respects will be paid at Jain Bhavan in Loresho, Nairobi, on Wednesday, June 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The cortege will thereafter leave Jain Bhavan at 11:30 a.m. for cremation at the Hindu Shamshan Bhumi in Kariokor, scheduled for 12:00 noon.
A prayer meeting will also be held at Jain Bhavan, Loresho, on the evening of June 10. Friends, relatives and well-wishers have been invited to attend and offer their condolences.
Rughani belonged to the Rughani family, one of the two families behind the establishment and growth of Text Book Centre and Sarit Centre.
The family’s involvement in the education and retail sectors dates back to the early 1960s when they operated the Rughani Bookshop in Karatina. They later partnered with the Vidhu Shah family, which ran a bookshop in Murang’a, to meet the growing demand for educational materials following Kenya’s independence.
The partnership led to the establishment of Text Book Centre in 1964, which has since grown into one of Kenya’s leading providers of books, stationery and educational resources.
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