Kalanithi Maran
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Age49
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Earnings$ 2.32 Billion
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Source of earningsMedia
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Marital StatusMarried
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Children1
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ResidenceChennai
#38 India Rich List 2014
#23 India Rich List Rank 2013
The media baron is paying a price for his trophy assets, notably budget airline SpiceJet, which reported a record loss of $165 million in the year to March, and cricket team Hyderabad Sunrisers, which did poorly in the last season. Earnings at his regional broadcaster Sun TV Network have remained flat amid a stagnant ad market and costs linked to the cricket team. Meanwhile, Maran continues to pump money into cash-strapped SpiceJet. In August, the CBI charged him, brother Dayanidhi and Malaysian billionaire Ananda Krishnan with allegedly conspiring to force the former owner of telecom firm Aircel to sell his company to Krishnan, who, in return, invested in Sun's direct-to-home TV venture. The Marans and Krishnan have both denied the charges.
