Beleagured industrialist Vijay Mallya on Tuesday took to X to congratulate Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), a team he helped establish, and recollected selecting "the legendary King Kohli as a youngster" for the team. He also called Kolhi's 18-year run with RCB "remarkable".
"When I founded RCB it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years," Mallya wrote. He also credited himself for picking "the Universe Boss" Chris Gayle and "Mr 360 AB DeVillers who remain an indelible part of RCB history".
"Finally, the IPL trophy arrives in Bengaluru. Congratulations and thanks again to all who made my dream come true. RCB fans are the very best, and they deserve the IPL trophy. Ee Sala Cup Bengaluru baruthe!" he added.
Mallya's post received more than 1.6 million views, and amid celebrations, it prompted netizens to ask the former owner of Kingfisher Airlines--accused of defaulting on loans worth thousands of crores before fleeing the country nine years ago--if he would return to celebrate with RCB.
"Now it's your turn to make SBI's dream come true, Sir. Laut aao (come back)," X user Dr Khushboo (@khushbookadri) commented on Mallya's post. "Come back and celebrate with the fans, Mallya sahab. We will all lift you on our shoulders and dance together outside SBI," added Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket).
Some X users even roasted the "king of good times" for his penchant to share messages on social media mostly on bank holidays.
"Today is not a bank holiday, Sir," commented Amit (@AmitOffline).
Vijay Mallya had bought Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 476 crore
Mallya, who was then in charge of Kingfisher Airlines and United Spirits, bought the Bengaluru team in 2008 when the IPL first started. He paid Rs 476 crore for it, making RCB the second most expensive team at the time.
As the owner, Mallya's UB Group heavily sponsored RCB. This meant brands like Royal Challenge and McDowell's No.1, which belonged to United Spirits Limited (USL), were clearly seen. The team's name, "Royal Challengers," even came from the Royal Challenge whisky brand. Kingfisher, from his United Breweries, also featured as a sponsor.
Mallya was often seen at IPL matches, cheering on his team. He played a big part in bringing famous players like Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, and AB de Villiers to the team in its first few years.
In 2016, as he faced growing legal issues, Vijay Mallya resigned from his role as chairman of USL and as a director of Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), the company that looks after RCB. After he left, RCB became fully owned by United Spirits Limited (USL), which is controlled by Diageo. This marked the end of his direct sponsorship and ownership of the team.
Since Mallya's departure, USL (now a part of Diageo) continues to own and run RCB through Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL). The team now works with various other sponsors.
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