Kalanithi Maran flies to Chandigarh as Sun Group expands North India footprint

Kalanithi Maran flew from Chennai to Chandigarh on May 27, 2026, aboard his Bombardier Global 7500, tail number VT-SRH. The 2-hour-22-minute flight landed at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport for a trip that aligns with the Sun Group's aggressive push into northern India's media market.

The same week, per an announcement by Sun Group on May 25, the company is launching two new 24-hour regional news channels — Sun News Punjab and Sun News Haryana — to compete with entrenched players like India Today Group and Zee Media. Chandigarh, a hub for both states, serves as the operational base for this expansion. Maran's hands-on visit suggests he is personally overseeing the rollout, a pattern consistent with his direct involvement in Sun Group's strategic moves.

This flight marks Maran's first recorded trip to Chandigarh on his new Global 7500, which he acquired in 2024 for $75 million. While Delhi and Mumbai remain his primary business destinations, the Chandigarh visit underscores a deliberate push into untapped regional markets, leveraging the jet's range to attend events beyond his usual circuit.