Aryaman Vikram Birla is the newly appointed chairman of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for IPL 2026, following a $1.78 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Aditya Birla Group. Born on July 9, 1997, he is the son of Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla and a former cricketer who transitioned into business leadership.
Early Life and Cricket Career
Aryaman grew up in Mumbai and pursued cricket seriously, playing as a left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in domestic cricket like the Ranji Trophy. Selected by Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 IPL auction, he held a contract but never featured in matches before taking a sabbatical due to anxiety challenges. His education includes a B.Com from the University of Mumbai, Master’s in Global Finance from Bayes Business School, and an MBA from Harvard.
Business Achievements
He founded Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality and leads Aditya Birla Ventures, the group’s venture capital arm investing in startups. Aryaman serves as a non-executive director on boards of Hindalco Industries, Grasim Industries, and others, contributing to sectors like metals, fashion, and real estate. At Davos 2025, he shared insights on resilience learned from his father amid India’s business landscape.
Rise to RCB Leadership
The March 24, 2026, announcement positions him to steer RCB post their IPL 2025 triumph, blending his cricket passion with strategic expertise alongside vice-chairman Satyan Gajwani. This role highlights his evolution from aspiring cricketer to corporate scion in India’s booming sports business.
