Six years, one dream: Rahul Bose kickstarts India’s own Rugby Premier League

Rahul Bose is a man of many talents. As Wikipedia describes, the 57-year-old is an actor, director, screenwriter, and social activist. He has acted in Bengali and Hindi films — and even a bit in Tamil. An accomplished figure in the arts, Rahul Bose has long embraced causes beyond cinema.

On Friday (April 4), at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex, Rahul brought every facet of his multifaceted personality to the fore — but for a real-world cause far removed from the tinsel town. With a cordless microphone in hand, he turned storyteller for a sport rarely in the Indian spotlight: rugby.

Rahul revealed that rugby — a physically demanding and tactical sport — is played in over 300 districts across India, covering nearly 40% of the country’s total districts.

With passion, energy, and emotion, Rahul made a major announcement before an invited audience that included representatives of six city-based franchise teams. He declared the launch of a first-of-its-kind Rugby Premier League (RPL), based on the Rugby 7s format, to be held at the Mumbai Football Arena in Andheri from June 1 to 15, 2025. The league will bring together the world’s finest players and top-tier Indian talent.

Having started his journey as a rugby player in 1998, Rahul now serves as President of Rugby India. On stage, he playfully quizzed the audience about their knowledge of rugby’s rules and strategy. While some were well-versed, many remained unfamiliar with the seven-a-side format that has been an Olympic medal sport since Rio 2016.

Rahul used the occasion to rally the media’s support and introduced GMR Sports — known for building airports and co-owning the IPL franchise Delhi Capitals — as Rugby India’s partner. He explained that it had taken six years of planning and perseverance for the RPL to become a reality, with the blessing of World Rugby.

P K S V Sagar, President of GMR Sports, said their role would go beyond that of a typical franchise owner. Satyam Trivedi, CEO of GMR Sports — which holds a majority stake in English county cricket club Hampshire — echoed the same commitment.

The RPL is, without question, Rahul Bose’s vision. It took someone with genuine passion to ignite momentum for the sport in India. Rahul acknowledged the success of the IPL, while candidly observing how other leagues have struggled or faded away.

“It’s taken six years for this moment to come. India played its first cricket Test in 1932, won its first overseas series in 1971, and lifted the World Cup in 1983 — each milestone arriving decades apart,” he noted. “For a federation like Rugby India aiming to reach the top 10% of 150 rugby-playing nations, how long will it take? We aren’t reinventing the wheel, but if done right, this league could be the silver bullet.”

Rahul explained that they studied both the mistakes and successes of existing leagues. “It’s easy to create a week of razzmatazz and glamour that gets attention — but that’s not our goal. We want to build something meaningful for Indian rugby.”

He delved into the behind-the-scenes logistics, from the financial model (which remains under wraps) to the participation of top-tier international talent, who will earn between $2,500 and up to $20,000. Alongside them, the best Indian players will get a breakthrough platform.

But Rahul posed a key question: “How many people in India even know the RPL exists? When we approach sponsors, they ask which network is airing it. When we talk to broadcasters, they ask who’s sponsoring it. Hopefully, by June 16, if all goes well, millions will have seen the league — and those two questions will never be asked again.”

Rahul is banking on viewership through Star Sports and JioCinema to build the RPL’s public presence. He said all six city franchise owners are committed “forever” and hinted that more teams are ready to join.

As for the million-dollar question — what impact will the RPL make during those 15 days in June? Rahul believes the global rugby community will be watching. His initiative, unprecedented in Indian rugby, deserves recognition.

The Rugby Premier League (RPL) will take place from June 1 to 15, 2025, at the Mumbai Football Arena in Andheri. The tournament will follow the Rugby 7s format, which has been an Olympic discipline since 2016, and will feature 34 matches over 15 days. A dedicated window has been carved out on the international Rugby 7s calendar to ensure participation from some of the biggest names in the sport.

The league will be broadcast live on Star Sports and JioCinema, aiming to build a strong national viewership. Six franchise teams — Bengaluru Bravehearts, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Redz, Hyderabad Heroes, Kalinga Black Tigers, and the Mumbai Dreamers — will represent major Indian cities.

The RPL will showcase 30 marquee international players from top Rugby 7s nations including Argentina, South Africa, Kenya, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Fiji, USA, and Ireland. Additionally, 18 other international players from countries such as Canada, Hong Kong, and Germany will bolster the competition’s quality and global appeal.

From the domestic circuit, 30 Indian players have been selected from an auction pool of 71, offering them a landmark opportunity to compete alongside some of the most celebrated names in the sport.