< The 2014 All-India Research TeamJ. RadhakrishnanIIFLFirst-Place Appearances: 0

Total Appearances: 2

Analyst Debut: 2013Although he slips one position to third place, IIFL’s J. Radhakrishnan continues to earn investor praise for his “uncompromising honesty,” as one portfolio manager puts it. The researcher monitors 16 Indian basic materials names, and “no one knows more about Indian cement” than he does, another advocate declares. His coverage of two long-standing favorites in that segment wins particular client praise. Radhakrishnan has recommended that investors buy New Delhi’s JK Lakshmi Cement for a variety of reasons, including margin expansion, volume growth and the improved utilization of its plants. Moreover, the supplier has benefited as demand for cement from rural housing and government-funded infrastructure projects has surged, helping drive a more than fivefold gain in JK Lakshmi’s shares. The stock rocketed 431.1 percent over the 12 months through late October, to 354.15 rupees, while the sector rose 21.1 percent. He still dubs it a top pick for the year ahead, with a target price of Rs419. His ongoing buy rating on Shree Cement is based in part on the increasing diversification of its product line. The Calcutta-based producer has been among Radhakrishnan’s top picks since January 2012. As of late October, the stock was up 93 percent, at Rs8,557.10, over the trailing 12-month period.