Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) CEO and co-owner Kavya Maran has finally spoken about something that long interested fans – her animated, emotive gestures during IPL games that usually go viral as memes on social media.
Although she doesn’t hail from the cinema or professional sports world, Kavya is now one of the most visible personalities within the Indian Premier League. While other team owners like to remain in the background, she is often seen in the stadium, cheering her team, responding to each boundary, wicket, or defeat with raw emotion.
“I Understand How It Becomes Memes”
In a recent interview to Fortune India, as reported by News18, Kavya was frank about the scrutiny that her reactions face.
“These are my raw emotions you’re witnessing, because my profession has led me to the stage where I have to expose myself,” she explained. “I can’t do anything in Hyderabad; I have to stay seated there. That’s the only seat I can occupy. But even when I travel to Ahmedabad or Chennai and I’m sitting at a distance in the box, somehow the cameraman manages to find me. So, I get why it turns into memes.”
Kavya described her emotional investment in the game as real, born from an important personal stake.
“Where it concerns Sunrisers, I genuinely wear my heart on my sleeve,” she said. “When you put heart and soul into something, you automatically become personally attached to its victories and defeats.”
Guiding SRH Through Triumphs and Tribulations
Ever since becoming the guardian of major duties at SRH, Kavya has seen a wild ride. The greatest moment for the team was in 2016 when they won their first-ever IPL trophy. However, the subsequent years had mixed performances such as finishing last in 2023. But SRH made a comeback in 2024 with a gallant march into the final. In the 2025 season, they finished mid-table with six victories in 14 matches – a good, if not spectacular, season.
Kavya is also deeply involved in the activities of Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the South African franchise owned by the same company. In contrast to their IPL counterparts, the Eastern Cape team has seen tremendous success, winning consecutive SA20 titles in 2023 and 2024 with Aiden Markram as their captain.
A Powerful Legacy
Outside of cricket, Kavya hails from Tamil Nadu’s most powerful business clan. Her father, Kalanithi Maran, is the group chairman of the Sun TV Network, India’s second-largest media house. The family’s net worth is estimated at over Rs 19,000 crore, and Kavya alone is said to have an individual net worth of about Rs 409 crore.
The Sun TV Network acquired the Hyderabad franchise in 2012 when the Deccan Chargers were dropped from the IPL. Ever since, under Kavya’s increasing leadership position, SRH has become increasingly one of the most popular teams with her ardent presence providing a special, human element to the public image of the franchise.
