IPO rush: Samvat 2078 set to break new records with mega issues

Bankers said the retail participation this year has been an encouraging sign, particularly in loss-making unicorns

A total of 49 companies raised Rs 81,615 crore in Samvat 2077, more than the preceding four years and almost double the amount raised in the previous year. Samvat 2078 appears even more promising with mega issues of Paytm and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.

Next week, Paytm will break over the decade-old record of Coal India for India’s largest-ever initial public offering (IPO) by launching its Rs 18,300-crore offering. However, Paytm’s record could be short-lived as state-owned LIC is planning to launch a Rs 1-trillion IPO by March 2022.

A combination of strong participation from local investors and