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Rajasthan Royals auction heats up with $1.3bn offer on the table
RAJASTHAN: The sale of Rajasthan Royals is gathering speed—and the price tag is rising fast.
The Indian Premier League franchise has entered the next stage of its sale process after four bidder groups were invited to advance, Bloomberg reported, sharpening attention on how much buyers are now willing to pay for a stake in India’s most powerful sporting property.
Among the interested parties is a consortium led by Times Internet chairman Satyan Gajwani, along with a group backed by US-based entrepreneur Kal Somani. Gajwani brings deep cricket exposure. He owns a 49 per cent stake in The Hundred’s London Spirit as part of a consortium led by Palo Alto chief executive Nikesh Arora and is also a co-founder of Major League Cricket in the US.
Bloomberg said a preliminary offer of $1.3 billion has been submitted by a consortium led by Somani Group, which is already an investor in the Royals. The bid is reportedly linked to the future performance of IPL media rights, underlining how closely franchise valuations now depend on broadcast revenues.
Those revenues remain formidable. The IPL’s media deals for the 2023–27 cycle are valued at Rs 48,390 crore ($6.2 billion). Rajasthan Royals is majority owned by Emerging Media Ventures, controlled by venture capitalist Manoj Badale, with minority stakes held by RedBird Capital Partners and Lachlan Murdoch.
RedBird was linked last year to a possible sale of its 15 per cent stake, which it bought in 2021 when the franchise was valued at around $250 million—a figure that looks distant in today’s market.
The sale is being managed by Raine Group, with a valuation floor of roughly $1.1 billion. Blackstone and The Carlyle Group have both explored buying into the Royals, as well as fellow IPL side Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Bloomberg reported in June that RCB owner Diageo was considering strategic options, including a sale valuing the team at up to $2 billion, highlighting how sharply IPL expectations have climbed.
The broader numbers explain the appetite. The IPL’s business value rose 12.9 per cent year-on-year to $18.5 billion in 2025, according to Houlihan Lokey. Last season’s final drew 169 million television viewers, the highest-ever for a cricket match in India, while JioStar said the 2025 season reached one billion viewers across television and digital platforms.
The most recent benchmark deal came last February, when Torrent Group agreed to buy 67 per cent of Gujarat Titans from CVC Capital Partners for Rs 5,000 crore ($544 million). CVC had originally won the Ahmedabad franchise in 2021 with a bid of Rs 5,625 crore ($612 million).
As the bidding tightens, Rajasthan Royals is shaping up as a reality check—testing just how high IPL valuations can climb, and whether media money can keep carrying them higher.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
