Prashant Nair Citi The buy side says: “He has a lot of experience and comprehensive knowledge of the sector.”

Debuting atop the roster is Prashant Nair, 36, of Citi. Known for his “depth of understanding and informative pieces that add a lot more value [than competitors’],” as one client puts it, Nair reiterated his valuation-­based buy rating on Apollo Hospitals Enterprise in January 2010, at 319.67 rupees; he also liked the Chennai-­based hospital and pharmacy operator’s strong domestic business. The stock had jumped to Rs494.95 by the end of May 2011, for a very healthy 54.8 percent gain that bested the sector by 25.1 percentage points. Nair, who earned an MBA at the Institute for ­Technology and ­Management in Mumbai in 1998, worked at Edelweiss ­Capital and then Motilal Oswal Securities as a pharmaceuticals analyst before moving to Citi in July 2005. “He has good relationships with managements across the industry,” attests one devotee.