"I will marry you one day": When Lalit Modi said this to Rima Boduri at their first meeting and how she became his partner 25 years later

Lalit Modi, the former chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most controversial figures in Indian cricket and he is known for leading a glamorous life. Years after the death of his wife Minal, Lalit Modi has found love again. It was in 2025 when Modi confirmed that he is in a relationship. The 62‑year‑old businessman shared the news on social media, revealing that he and his partner have taken their bond to the next level after 25 years of friendship.The announcement was made on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025, through an emotional post by Modi, who initially did not reveal the identity of his partner. In the video that he posted, there were some special moments shared between the two, suggesting a strong bond and a subtle form of a grown-up kind of happiness. His announcement made his followers curious and excited, and they gave their warm wishes for the new phase of his life.In his Instagram post, Lalit Modi wrote: “Lucky Once—Yes. But I got lucky TWICE. When a 25-year friendship turns to LOVE. It happened twice. Hope it does for you all too. #happyvalentinesday to you all,” Lalit Modi wrote on Instagram.The woman behind that long‑standing friendship is Rima Boduri, a woman of Lebanese descent who has been a close part of Lalit Modi’s life for decades. Their story is not one of sudden romance, but of a bond that grew slowly, quietly, and deeply over time.Modi explained their journey in an interview with Karishma Mehta for Humans of Bombay recently, “I have a beautiful partner in life, named Rima Boduri, now. She is of Lebanese descent, and she is a very old friend of mine. The first time I met her, I was 26 years old. She was a very good friend of a sister-in-law of mine, Minal's sister. I was newly married, and she was newly married when I first met her at a Sangeet in South Africa. I was with my wife Minal, and Rima was with her husband. My wife knew her very well because they were part of the same community while growing up in London. The first words when I saw her, and I was with my wife, were, "I will marry you one day." And everybody cracked up. My wife let it pass by saying that I appreciated beautiful women. And Rima's husband said, 'Oh, let me take your wife, and you take mine'. It was a big joke and we became the best of friends from that day onwards... "In that single moment at a Sangeet in South Africa, a joke was born that would later become a profound truth. Their friendship remained strong over the years, and Rima became a close part of Modi’s family. Their children grew up together, sharing holidays, milestones, and everyday moments. Decades later, after both had experienced personal loss and life’s many changes, their friendship quietly deepened into love.Before Rima, Lalit Modi was married to Minal Sangrani for 27 years, from 1991 until her death in 2018 after battling cancer. Together, they had two children, Aliya and Ruchir. Lalit also has a stepdaughter, Karima Sangrani, from Minal’s first marriage with businessman Jack Sagrani.Minal and Lalit’s relationship was not without its early hurdles, not least of which was their nearly 10-year age gap and the opposition they faced from Lalit’s family. But that opposition did not deter the couple, who went on to marry and build a life together. Their marriage was a long chapter in Modi’s story, a chapter that closed with Minal’s death, leaving a profound emotional void for him and his children.Lalit Modi’s life has not only been shaped by personal relationships, but also by his complex role in Indian cricket. In 2010, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended Modi following accusations of indiscipline, misconduct, and financial irregularities related to the IPL. In 2013, the Indian board banned him for life after finding him guilty of the charges.Despite his exile from Indian cricket, Modi remains a controversial figure, often defending his role in revolutionising the sport’s commercial landscape. He has been living in exile in London for many years, away from the Indian cricketing public eye.Rima Boduri and Lalit Modi’s love story is unusual in its timing and depth. It began as a youthful friendship, woven into the fabric of a larger family, and continued through marriages, loss, and life’s many changes. Only after 25 years of knowing each other, and after both had experienced the end of their first marriages, did they step into a new chapter as partners.Their relationship shows that love doesn’t always arrive in a sudden spark. Sometimes, it grows slowly, from shared history and trust.