Birla Scions Aryaman and Ananya Acquire Royal Challengers Bengaluru for $1.78 Billion

• A consortium led by Aditya Birla Group, including The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone, has acquired Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for $1.78 billion.
• This acquisition marks the end of Diageo’s ownership and makes RCB the most expensive franchise in IPL history, surpassing the Rajasthan Royals.
• Aryaman Vikram Birla, a former IPL cricketer, will serve as the new chairman of RCB, taking a leadership role within the franchise.
• Entrepreneur and global artist Ananya Birla is a major talking point, with speculation about her becoming the face of the cricket team.
• The deal includes both the men’s and women’s RCB teams, ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.