Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) CEO, co-owner, and popular businesswoman Kavya Maran has been in the news recently, particularly after IPL matches. The franchise co-owner has been more of a meme bank in recent games with fans creating hilarious messages from her animated actions during SRH matches.
How Did Kavya Maran Become a Popular Internet Sensation?
The SRH co-owner came into the limelight during the IPL 2023 auction. Her appearance at the event directed significant fan attention to her, and she continues to grow in popularity among SRH and IPL fanbases.
Actions Portray ‘My Raw Emotions’ – SRH CEO
Maran shares that seat arrangements in the home stadium keeps her fully-involved in support for her franchise from the stands. However, she says her raw emotions take centre stage whenever she goes to away grounds in Ahmedabad or Chennai:
“Those are my raw emotions that you’re seeing because my job has brought me to the point that I have to put myself out there. In Hyderabad, I can’t do anything; I have to sit there. That’s the only place I can sit. But even when I go to Ahmedabad or Chennai, and I’m sitting many feet away, somewhere in the box, the cameraman manages to find me. So, I understand how it becomes memes,” she said.
Fans continue to churn out several hilarious memes after IPL games involving SRH. Kavya is a diehard supporter of her franchise and gives her all from the stands to ensure the team’s success:
“When it comes to Sunrisers, I genuinely wear my heart on my sleeve. I think when you put your heart and soul into something, you naturally tend to get very personally attached to its successes and failures,” the CEO added.
Kavya Maran Bio
Kavya Maran was born into the prominent Maran family on the 6th of August, 1992. Her grandfather (Murasoli Maran) was once a long-serving Union Minister while her father (Kalanithi Maran) is a businessman and owner of the Sun Group.
Kavya completed her undergraduate degree at the prestigious Stella Maris College in Chennai before she went on to bag an MBA from the New York University Stem School of Business in America. Kavya’s academic credentials positioned her to become one of India’s top media and sports executives in recent years.
Kavya joined the Sun TV Network after her return to India. Her entry into Asia’s largest media firm saw her rise significantly in the network to become a board member in early 2019.
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Kaviya Kalanithi Maran |
| Date of Birth | August 6, 1992 |
| Age | 32 years |
| Birthplace | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Education | B.Com, Stella Maris College, Chennai; MBA, NYU Stern School of Business, USA |
| Occupation | Businesswoman; Co‑owner & CEO, Sunrisers Hyderabad; Executive Director, Sun TV Network |
| Family Background | Daughter of Kalanithi Maran (Founder, Sun Group) and Granddaughter of Murasoli Maran |
| IPL Team | Sunrisers Hyderabad (Co‑owner since 2018; IPL champions 2016; runners‑up 2018 & 2024) |
| SA20 Team | Sunrisers Eastern Cape |
| Net Worth | Estimated ₹409 crore (≈ USD 50 million) |
Kavya Maran became a co-owner of the SRH franchise in 2018. SRH continued to achieve significant success since her accelerated rise within the network and boosted Kavya’s profile as a strategic and multi-talented executive.
Maran’s leadership of the franchise coincides with their recent international expansion into foreign leagues. For example, the franchise also owns a major stake in the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, a team in South Africa’s T20 league during her leadership stint.
Some Interesting Facts About Kavya Maran
- Kavya became one of the youngest appointees to the Sun TV Network board in 2019 at 26 years old.
- Maran is known as the “People’s CEO” for her animated celebrations and viral stadium reactions during IPL matches involving the SRH franchise.
- The Maran family also has a stake in an SA20 franchise. Her leadership helped guide the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to three consecutive finals (2023, 2024, and 2025). They also won the initial title in this competition.
- Maran featured in Fortune India’s Most Powerful Women in Business 2025 and GQ’s 35 Most Influential Young Indians 2025. Her rising popularity serves as a source of inspiration to the younger generation aspiring to succeed in media and sports management.
- Kavya speaks and understands three (3) languages. The executive can speak English, Tamil, and Hindi fluently. Her knowledge of multiple languages aids her in negotiations and sealing deals across regions.
- Maran is an active supporter of several corporate social responsibility initiatives through the Sun Group. She deploys useful resources to improve educational and healthcare needs through the group, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
