Climbing to second place after two years at No. 3 is Vikash Mantri of ICICI Securities. His “focus on primary research and ability to read between the lines of financial statements set him apart,” applauds one fund manager. The industry is “at the cusp of sea change with the advent of digitization,” Mantri contends. This transformation will enable consumers to choose and pay for the content they prefer and will open the market to any companies with quality offerings, he explains. Chennai-based Sun TV Network is a long-standing favorite. The leading producer and broadcaster of satellite television and radio programming in southern India has launched multiple channels and acquired a huge movie library, he notes, effectively obstructing market-share gains for new players. Among distributors, Mantri is a proponent of direct-to-home names over cable service providers. “The drive for further ongoing digitization will create a level playing field for DTH operators, as cable companies start paying content costs and taxes,” he explains. Accordingly, the researcher is positive on the prospects for Noida-based Dish TV India, the only listed DTH player in the country. — Carolyn Koo |
The 2013 All-India Research Team: Media, Second: Vikash Mantri