Kavya Maran on IPL Passion and Viral Fame: SRH CEO Explains On-Field Reactions and Meme Status

Kavya Maran on Viral Memes: SRH CEO Addresses Her Passionate IPL Reactions

Kavya Maran

Kavya Maran, CEO and co-owner of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has spoken out about her now-famous reactions during IPL matches, which have frequently turned into internet memes. In a recent interview, Maran explained that her emotional responses are a direct result of her deep personal investment in the team's performance. She also noted the uncanny ability of broadcasters' cameras to consistently capture these moments.

Maran, daughter of Sun Group chairman Kalanithi Maran, first garnered significant public attention during the 2023 IPL auction, where she spearheaded SRH's strategic player acquisitions. Since then, her presence at SRH matches has become a fixture, with her reactions to the on-field action quickly becoming social media gold.

Maran addressed the meme phenomenon directly, stating: "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 emphasized her dedication to the team: "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's performance in the IPL has been a rollercoaster.

• In 2023, the franchise finished at the bottom of the points table, a disappointing result considering the perceived strength of the squad.
• However, the team rebounded spectacularly 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 and failing to qualify for the playoffs.

SRH's crowning achievement remains their 2016 IPL championship.

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