RR Owner, Kal Somani (AFP & X.com)
The IPL 2026 is set to kick off on March 28, with the defending champions, RCB, taking on SRH at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, days before the start of the 19th edition of the cash-rich tournament, an off-field development has caused a stir in the Indian cricket fraternity.
On Tuesday, the 2008 IPL winners, Rajasthan Royals, were acquired for a whopping $1.63 billion (£1.2 billion), which roughly translates to 15,000 crore Indian rupees, by a consortium led by US-based entrepreneur Kal Somani. Thus, making RR the first IPL team to be sold for more than USD 1 billion.
Media reports from early March 2026 indicated that the franchise was up for sale, with the ArcelorMittal promoter family and the Aditya Birla Group, in partnership with David Blitzer, also in contention.
It is worth mentioning that the deal would be effective after the completion of the upcoming IPL 2026. Moreover, the previous RR owner, Manoj Badale, would continue to be with the team till the end of the upcoming season.
Now the question comes, ‘Who is RR owner Kal Somani?’
Meet new RR owner Kal Somani
According to publicly available information, Kal Somani is an Indian-origin US-based entrepreneur. Notably, Somani is the founder and CEO of Intra Edge, a technology and services firm based in Arizona. He also founded Truyo, a data privacy and AI governance platform. Somani is also linked with angel investing in Upstox, which was once an IPL sponsor.
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Somani's consortium includes global backers like Rob Walton, the heir to the Walmart business. The Hamp family, owners of the NFL franchise Detroit Lions, are also in the mix.
Earlier, Somani was linked to the partnership of IPL founder Lalit Modi in buying Rajasthan Royals, a claim Modi denied.
What is RR owner Kal Somani’s Net Worth?
As per The Times of India, Kal Somani has a net worth exceeding USD 110 billion. Thus, with such a massive personal asset, he is considered the wealthiest sports owner in the United States.
However, apart from this, there is no official information on Kal Somani’s net worth, but given that he has purchased the Royals for a staggering ₹15000 crore, his net worth should be sky-high.
“We see huge potential with this investment, and we are excited for the future of the IPL,” Somani had said upon acquiring the IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals.
It is worth noting that, as the new owner, Somani’s vision for the Royals is backed by a long-term belief in the IPL’s growth.
Kal Somani’s India connection
According to the media reports, Somani grew up in a small town in India and studied electronics and telecommunications at a local university before moving to the United States in 1998.
The acquisition only underlines IPL’s growth by leaps and bounds as it continues to create its standing on the global stage.
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