Vijay Mallya has extended his congratulations to the new owners of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as they prepare for their title defense in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). Mallya, the founder and former owner of the team, noted that his initial investment of INR 450 crore in 2008 has now grown to over INR 16,500 crore.
The 2025 IPL champions were acquired by a consortium led by Aditya Birla and The Times of India just days before the upcoming season begins.
Mallya took to social media to reflect on his original purchase of RCB, recalling how many dismissed it as merely a publicity stunt for his Royal Challenge brand. Today, RCB stands as one of the world’s most valuable Cricket franchises, with success in both men’s and women’s teams.
“I would like to heartily congratulate the new owners of RCB. I wish them the very best with this valuable IPL franchise. When I bought the team in 2008 for INR 450 crores, many laughed at my investment, calling it a vanity project. However, I aimed to build the Royal Challenge brand, which is why I named the franchise RCB. It’s immensely gratifying to see my investment grow to INR 16,500 crores,” Mallya wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
