[2][3][4] He owns multiple television channels, newspapers, weeklies, FM radio stations, DTH services, a movie production house (Sun Pictures) and 2 cricket teams (Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa T20 League).

[6][7] Kalanithi Maran went to the United States for an MBA degree at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.

Upon completing his MBA, he returned to India in 1987 working for his family's small publishing company, which included a weekly women's magazine.

[8][9] Sun TV was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange on 24 April 2006 upon raising $133 million for 10% of the share capital, catapulting him into the billionaire charts.

[12] In June 2010, he acquired a 37% stake in SpiceJet from billionaire investor Wilbur Ross and promoter Bhupendra Kansagra, in his individual capacity and through his aviation company KAL Airways.

[20] Kalanithi was born to former Union Minister Murasoli Maran in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on 24 July 1964.