Kavya Maran on IPL Fame, Team Passion, and Viral Meme Status

Kavya Maran on Becoming the Queen of Internet Memes: 'Cameraman Manages to Find Me'

Kavya Maran

Kavya Maran, CEO and co-owner of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has addressed the reasons behind her viral reactions during IPL matches, which have turned her into a popular subject for internet memes. In a recent interview with Fortune India, Maran explained that her emotional responses are a direct result of her deep personal investment in the team's performance. She also noted that broadcasters' cameras consistently capture these moments throughout the matches.

Maran, daughter of Sun Group chairman Kalanithi Maran, first captured public attention in 2023 during the IPL auction, where she spearheaded SRH's strategic decisions. Since then, she has been a regular fixture at SRH matches, with her reactions to events on the field quickly becoming social media staples.

"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 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 mixed fortunes in the IPL. The team's performance has fluctuated significantly from season to season.

The franchise finished at the bottom of the points table in 2023, despite having what was considered a strong team. However, they rebounded impressively in 2024, securing the second position in the league and advancing to the final.

The 2025 season saw SRH finish in the middle of the table, winning six of their fourteen matches. Their playoff aspirations were dashed 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 successes and setbacks.

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