Kalanithi Maran Net Worth: $3.3 Billion

ABOUT KALANITHI MARAN

According to Forbes, Kalanithi Maran, a prominent Indian media mogul, had an estimated net worth of $3.3 billion as of March 2013. He is also ranked as the 24th richest person on India’s Richest List and 42nd on the list of World Billionaires. Kalanidhi Maran founded and currently serves as the chairman and managing director of Sun Group, a conglomerate based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Sun Group quickly became one of India’s largest media networks, and at one point was the most profitable television network in Asia.

Mr. Kalanithi Maran embarked on his career in the late 1980s, working for Kunguman Tamil Magazine, which was owned by his family.

In 1990, he ventured into the production of a monthly Tamil video news magazine called Poomaalai, but due to piracy, he was forced to halt the production in 1992.

However, he didn’t give up and went on to found Sun TV on April 14, 1993, with a bank loan of $86,000. This regional broadcasting company grew into one of India’s largest media networks, making Mr. Maran a wealthy man.

He holds shares in Sun TV, which saw an increase of over one-third in value since last year, despite falling in July.

The Central Bureau of Investigation once linked him and his brother, Dayanidhi, to an alleged telecom deal with Malaysian billionaire Ananda Krishna, but they have both denied the accusations.

In addition to Sun TV, Mr. Maran acquired Spice Jet, a low-cost Indian airline, in June 2010. The airline, which profited $20 million in the most recent quarter, benefited from the shutdown of rival Kingfisher Airlines.

It is speculated that Kalanithi Maran is contemplating a stake sale to a foreign airline. Furthermore, he secured a bid for an Indian Premier League cricket team Sunrises Hyderabad, paying $80 million for five years.

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