Who Is Mallika Sagar? All You Need To Know About The Auctioneer Of IPL 2025

Sagar chipped in as an IPL auctioneer during the 2023 auction, when she took the place of  Edmeades after he became unconscious in the middle of an event. After a while, the BCCI appointed Mallika Sagar as a full-time IPL auctioneer. 

Mallika Sagar comes from a business background in Mumbai. She completed her studies in art history at Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia, USA, and started her career in 2001 at the prestigious auction house Christie’s, at the age of 26. She started her career as an auctioneer with the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) back in 2021 and also became the first female auctioneer. 

“And, perhaps, a bit frivolously, I thought: ‘That’s what I want to be,’” Sagar told Al Jazeera.

 “It was in my junior year in college that I saw a live auction for the first time, which is quite a fascinating and engaging experience.”

“Be more prepared so you are aware of the context in which you are offering the players – such as pronunciation of their names, and other details because each player gets offered or showcased individually. So it’s up to me to make sure that they have the best possible chance. It’s a heightened sensitivity to compensate for the fact that you are moving from artworks or inanimate objects to players whose careers will depend on what will happen in the next few minutes,” she added.