Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been acquired completely by a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group (ABG) for a whopping amount of USD 1.78 billion (approximately Rs 16,706 crore) from its current owner the United Spirits Limited.
The consortium also includes The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures and Blackstoneโs perpetual private equity strategy, but it is led by the Aditya Birla group.ย
“United Spirits Limited, pursuant to the meeting of its Board of Directors, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements for the sale of the 100 per cent equity stake held in its wholly owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL) to a consortium,” the USL said in a statement.
“The consortium comprises Aditya Birla Group (ABG), The Times of India Group (Times), Bolt Ventures (Bolt), and Blackstone’s perpetual private equity strategy, BXPE (Blackstone), for a total consideration of INR 166.6 bn in an all-cash transaction,” the statement added. The transaction includes RCB’s men’s and women’s (WPL) teams.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla’s son, Aryaman Birla, will be the new RCB chairman.ย
Who is Aryaman Birla? All you need to know about him
Aryaman Birla is an Indian entrepreneur and former professional cricketer, best known for being part of the prominent Aditya Birla Group family. Born on July 9, 1997, he is the son of industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla.
Aryaman pursued cricket at a competitive level and played as a left-handed batsman. He represented Madhya Pradesh cricket team in domestic cricket and played in both the First Class and List A cricket.ย
He has 414 runs in nine FC matches and has hit a hundred too. Famously, Birla has also batted with current RCB captain Rajat Patidar as the two were opening partners.ย
Birla has been part of RR previouslyย
Birla gained wider recognition when he was signed by the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in IPL 2018 mega auction. Despite showing promise, he stepped away from professional cricket in 2019, citing mental health challengesโbringing attention to an often-overlooked issue in Indian sports.
After leaving cricket, Aryaman shifted his focus to business and entrepreneurship. He became actively involved in ventures linked to the Aditya Birla Group, particularly in sectors like e-commerce and retail. He has also shown interest in startups and digital innovation, representing a new generation of business leaders in India.