Renowned auctioneer Mallika Sagar will make history during Indian Premier League 2024 auction in Dubai tomorrow by becoming the first female auctioneer in the history of IPL auctions.
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Sagar earned this distinction after having successfully conducted Women’s Premier League auctions for its first two seasons. In both the years, she performed her job with panache at the Jio Convention Center, Mumbai. As for the richest cricket league in the world, i.e., the IPL, she will be calling the shots at the Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai.
“An independent professional auctioneer, Ms. Mallika Sagar, will conduct the auction and she will be the sole arbiter as to all aspects of the auction,” the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) informed franchises on the eve of the auction for the 17th season of the IPL.
The development will also see her become the first Indian to entirely conduct an IPL auction. In this regard, she will outdo a prominent name in Charu Sharma, who had covered up for Hugh Edmeades after he faced a medical emergency during IPL 2022 auction in Bengaluru.
Sagar is now all prepared to follow a rich legacy created by Richard Madley, Edmeades and Sharma. Madley, who has 35 years of experience conducting Christie’s auction for fine art, was associated with the IPL between 2008-2018. In 2019, he was replaced by Edmeades, whose stint continued till 2023 including a brief assistance from Sharma, as mentioned above.
Everything We Know About Mallika Sagar
Mallika Sagar, currently 48 years of age, is a resident of Mumbai with 25 years of experience in auctions. Although she will create an iconic first in the IPL, her experience in this regard adds tremendous value to her selection.
By profession, she has been collecting art and auctioning at Mumbai’s Pundole Art Galleries. At age 26, she earned a feather in her cap by conducting a Christie’s auction.
However, her foray into sports is fairly newer. In 2021, she conducted an auction for the Pro Kabaddi League, India’s second most popular sports league.
Sagar, with her Indian roots, majored in art history and completed her education at the Bryn Mawr College, Philadelphia. She is currently divorced from her ex-husband Vir Advani, vice-chairman and MD, Blue Star. There is no information regarding her children in the public domain.