Kalanithi Maran Biography: Age, Net Worth, Family, Wikipedia, Awards, Height

Kalanithi Maran is an influential Indian media mogul and the founder of Sun Group, one of the largest media conglomerates in India.

He gained prominence in the early 1990s by launching Sun TV, a regional television network that grew into a vast media empire encompassing television, radio, newspapers, film production, and more.

His entrepreneurial acumen has earned him a prominent place in India’s business landscape, and he owns the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Kalanithi’s strategic vision and business leadership have turned Sun Group into a media powerhouse, making him one of the wealthiest men in India.

Profile

• Full name: Kalanithi Maran
• Date of birth: July 24, 1964
• Age: 60 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
• Nationality: Indian
• Profession: Media Proprietor, Entrepreneur
• Parents: Murasoli Maran (father), Mallika Maran (mother)
• Siblings: Dayanidhi Maran (brother)
• Spouse: Kavery Kalanithi
• Children: Kaviya Kalanithi Maran
• Relationship status: Married
• Religion: Hinduism
• Ethnicity: Tamil
• Net worth: USD 3.7 billion

Early Life and Education

Kalanithi Maran was born on July 24, 1964, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He is now 60 years old.

He comes from a politically influential family; his father, Murasoli Maran, was a prominent politician and Union Minister in India, and his great uncle, M. Karunanidhi, served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Maran grew up in a family deeply entrenched in Tamil Nadu’s socio-political landscape, alongside his younger brother, Dayanidhi Maran, who would later become a Union Minister.

Maran completed his schooling at Don Bosco School in Chennai. He later attended Loyola College, Chennai, earning a bachelor’s degree in commerce. Pursuing higher education abroad, he completed his MBA at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.

His education in India and the United States helped shape his entrepreneurial skills, which he later channeled into building Sun Group, a media empire dominating South India.

Personal Life

In 1991, Kalanithi Maran married Kavery Kalanithi, a native of Kodagu. The couple has one daughter, Kaviya Kalanithi Maran, who is actively involved in the family business and serves as the CEO of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Sunrisers Eastern Cape, their IPL and South Africa T20 League franchises, respectively.

Despite his wealth and media prominence, Kalanithi and his family have maintained a private lifestyle.

Kalanithi and Kavery are known for being among the highest-paid executives in India, regularly topping salary charts for corporate executives.

Career

Kalanithi Maran’s journey in media began in 1990 when he launched Poomaalai, a Tamil video news magazine.

Although the venture faced setbacks due to piracy issues, it laid the foundation for his next big move. In 1993, Maran founded Sun TV, a regional television channel.

With an initial investment sourced through personal savings and bank loans, Sun TV quickly became a household name in Tamil Nadu.

Over the years, Sun Group expanded to include 33 television channels across multiple languages, radio stations like Suryan FM, newspapers, and magazines such as Dinakaran.

Sun Group’s ventures eventually expanded into film production through Sun Pictures, which produced blockbuster Tamil films. Kalanithi’s foray into sports includes ownership of the IPL cricket team Sunrisers Hyderabad.

In addition to media, Maran briefly entered the aviation sector when he acquired a controlling stake in SpiceJet in 2010, though he later exited this business.

Awards

• Indian Television Academy Award for Best TV Channel (2001)
• Young Businessman Award by CNBC (2006)
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award at TiECON Chennai (2009)
• Most Respected Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Hurun India (2024)

Net Worth

Kalanithi Maran’s estimated net worth is USD 3.7 billion. His wealth comes from his extensive media empire, Sun Group, which includes television, radio, publishing, and sports.

His company also owns a controlling stake in the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad, further adding to his portfolio of business ventures.

Controversy

Kalanithi Maran has faced several controversies throughout his career, though none have significantly derailed his business success.

One of the most notable controversies involved allegations that Maran and his brother, Dayanidhi Maran, misused government resources by installing a private telephone exchange at his residence in Chennai.

This exchange was allegedly used for Sun TV business transactions without proper billing, resulting in a financial loss to state-owned telecom companies BSNL and MTNL.

However, after years of legal proceedings, both brothers were acquitted of the charges in 2018 due to insufficient evidence.

Another significant controversy involved his brief ownership of SpiceJet. Maran acquired a stake in the struggling airline in 2010 and attempted to turn it around.

However, by 2015, the airline faced financial difficulties, and Maran eventually sold his stake. Although some legal disputes arose following the sale, SpiceJet survived, and Maran largely avoided personal legal ramifications.

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