In a shocking turn of events, police have arrested officials of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and DNA Entertainment Pvt Ltd after a fatal stampede outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The stampede took place during RCB’s IPL win celebrations and claimed the lives of 11 people while more than 30 others were injured, according to PTI quoting police sources.
The stampede occurred as a thronging crowd of almost three lakh individuals had gathered beside the stadium to celebrate RCB’s historic Indian Premier League victory. Mismanagement and chaos in connection with the event have drawn widespread criticism and encouraged immediate action on the part of the authorities.
Karnataka Government Orders Arrests
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered the arrest of RCB officials, officials from DNA Entertainment, and officials from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on immediate orders for a clear case of negligence and inadequate crowd control. FIR has also been lodged formally in the matter.
Who is Nikhil Sosale? The Man Behind RCB’s Marketing Success
Among the individuals whose names have been associated with the current probe is Nikhil Sosale, a prominent member of RCB’s management and an experienced marketing executive. Sosale has been with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise for more than a decade and is now the Head of Marketing & Revenue at Diageo India, the parent organization of RCB.
Professional Journey
Nikhil joined the professional fold with RCB back in 2012 and has progressively moved up the ranks, serving in a series of key positions over the years:
Senior Executive – UB Sports Marketing (2010 – June 2012)
Manager – Commercial & Operations (2012 – 2014)
Senior Manager – Commercial, Marketing, Operations (2014 – 2016)
Lead – Business & Commercial Operations (2016 – 2017)
Head of Business Partnerships (2017 – 2023)
Head of Marketing & Revenue (2023 – Present)
Besides his longtime association with RCB, Nikhil has also been involved in other international sporting ventures such as Force India Formula 1, Indian football, and developed marketing plans and international sponsorships for Diageo.
Recent Highlights & Business Deals
From Bengaluru, Nikhil has been instrumental in RCB’s brand building and partnership establishment. Most recently, he successfully managed to sign a significant sponsorship deal between RCB and Qatar Airways, unveiled at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Nikhil Sosale’s Wife Malvika Nayak Often Spotted With Anushka Sharma During Matches
Nikhil Sosale is married to Malvika Nayak, who, similar to her husband, also has a business development and marketing background. Malvika is an MBA marketing and sales graduate and had earlier worked at Intelenet (Serco). The duo is seen to move around the cricket social circle, and Malvika has also frequently been photographed with actress Anushka Sharma at RCB matches.
