Who is Lalit Modi? Former IPL commissioner makes relationship with Sushmita Sen official

Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi took to his official social media handles on Thursday and posted various images along with former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, calling them a couple. The 56-year-old has held various roles in Indian cricket before he was banned by the BCCI for life due to 'misconduct' and 'indiscipline.' Here is a deeper look at Lalit Modi.

Who is Lalit Modi?

Lalit Modi, who is the son of Krishan Kumar Modi and Bina Modi, was born into one of the top business families in India. His grandfather Gujar Mal Modi established the Modi Group business conglomerate, which is estimated to be valued at approximately $2.8 billion.

Lalit is an Indian businessman and former cricket administrator, who is currently serving as the president and managing director of the Modi Group. He eventually fled the country and moved to London after being deemed guilty of fraud and money laundering. He was slapped with a life ban by the BCCI in 2013 after its disciplinary committee found him guilty of eight charges of 'indiscipline and misconduct'.

Lalit Modi's role in cricket

While Lalit Modi has several business interests, he was also heavily involved in cricket administration. The 56-year-old began his involvement in the sport by being elected to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association in 1999. After being forced to leave the administration, he was elected as the vice-president of the Punjab Cricket Association in 2004.

He was then elected as the president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association in 2005 before being appointed as the vice-president of the BCCI. After his successful stint with the Indian cricketing board, his biggest brainchild was the Indian Premier League (IPL) he started in 2008. The IPL helped Modi get tremendous amount of popularity as he was compared to Don King (boxing promoter) and Bernie Ecclestone (former chief executive of Formula 1).

However, after being deemed guilty of 'indiscipline and misconduct' by the BCCI, he was handed a life ban.