Kavya Maran on Viral Fame: SRH CEO Addresses Her Now-Famous IPL Reactions

Kavya Maran

In a recent interview, Maran, daughter of Sun Group chairman Kalanithi Maran, explained that her emotional responses are a direct result of her deep personal investment in the team's performance. She noted that broadcasters' cameras consistently capture these moments throughout the matches.

Maran first garnered significant public attention during the 2023 IPL auction, where she spearheaded SRH's strategic decisions. Since then, her presence at SRH matches has been constant, with her reactions to the on-field action becoming a staple of social media content.

"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," Maran stated. "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 continued, "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."

Under Maran's leadership, SRH has experienced a roller coaster of success in the IPL. The team's performance has varied significantly from season to season.

Despite assembling a team that was considered strong on paper, the franchise finished at the bottom of the points table in 2023. However, they bounced back remarkably in 2024, securing the second position in the league and advancing to the final.

The 2025 season saw a mid-table finish for SRH, with the team winning six out of their fourteen matches. Their playoff aspirations were unfortunately cut short relatively early in the tournament.

SRH's history includes one IPL championship, which they won in 2016. The team's journey under Kavya's leadership has been characterized by both triumphs and setbacks.

Beyond the IPL, Maran also oversees the Sunrisers Eastern Cape franchise in South Africa's SA20 competition. This venture has seen greater and more consistent success, with the team winning the first two seasons in 2023 and 2024 under the captaincy of Aiden Markram.