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Mallika Sagar’s journey from international art auctions to the IPL auction stage is truly inspiring. As the first female auctioneer in IPL history, she symbolizes confidence, change, and the growing role of women in global sports business.
IPL 2026 Mini Auction and Mallika Sagar's Role
Abu Dhabi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction is scheduled to take place today at 2:30 PM at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. A total of 369 players will be up for bidding in this auction.
This major and high-profile event will once again be helmed by Mallika Sagar, who has become a prominent face of the IPL auctions recently.
Since the inception of the IPL, the responsibility of conducting the auctions has been entrusted to experienced auctioneers. Initially, Richard Madley held this role, followed by Hugh Edmeades.
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For a brief period, Indian television personality Charu Sharma also conducted the IPL auctions. Since 2024, this historic responsibility has been held by Mallika Sagar, who is the first woman to take on this role.
Mallika Sagar was born in 1975 in Mumbai. She comes from a business family, but her career path diverged from traditional business. Her interest in the world of auctions began with a book featuring a female auctioneer as the main character. This inspiration guided her towards this field.
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Mallika earned a degree in art history from Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia, USA. At the young age of 26, she achieved the distinction of becoming the first Indian woman auctioneer at the renowned auction house Christie's in New York.
This achievement helped her gain recognition in the global auction market.
In 2021, Mallika Sagar made history in the world of sports by conducting the Pro Kabaddi League auction, becoming the first female auctioneer in the sport.
Following this, she was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction. She also successfully conducted the IPL 2024 mini-auction and the IPL 2025 mega-auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
She was also the auctioneer at the recent WPL mega auction.
Mallika Sagar's journey is an example of how two seemingly disparate worlds—fine art and auctions for major sporting events—can come together. Today, she has become a symbol of women's empowerment not only in the IPL but also in the world of auctions globally.
