Kavya Maran on IPL Fame and Viral Memes: 'Cameraman Always Finds Me'

Kavya Maran, CEO and co-owner of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has spoken about the viral reactions that have made her a popular figure on the internet. In a recent interview, Maran discussed how her genuine emotional responses during IPL matches often become internet memes, largely due to the ever-present cameras.

Maran, the daughter of Sun Group chairman Kalanithi Maran, first garnered widespread attention during the 2023 IPL auction, where she spearheaded SRH's strategic decisions. Since then, her presence at SRH games and her visible reactions to the on-field action have made her a social media fixture.

Maran explained, "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 further added, "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 rollercoaster of fortunes in the IPL.

• In 2023, the team finished at the bottom of the points table, a disappointing outcome considering the perceived strength of the squad.
• However, in 2024, they demonstrated significant improvement, securing second place in the league and progressing to the final.
• The 2025 season saw a mid-table finish for SRH, with six wins out of fourteen matches, and an early exit from playoff contention.

Despite these fluctuations, SRH boasts one IPL championship, won in 2016. Kavya Maran's tenure has been characterized by both triumphs and setbacks.

Maran's involvement extends beyond the IPL, as she also oversees the Sunrisers Eastern Cape franchise in South Africa's SA20 competition. The Eastern Cape team has enjoyed greater success, winning the first two seasons in 2023 and 2024 under the captaincy of Aiden Markram.