Private equity (PE) investments in the four southern states dropped 20 per cent in 2008 to $3.1 billion (around Rs 15,500 crore) as compared with the year ago period.
Of the total $6.6 billion PE investments last year into India, 37 per cent was routed to southern cities. A major chunk went into Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.
According to Venture Intelligence, a Chennai-based PE research firm, which compiled the data, investments dropped to $3.1 billion in 2008 from $3.9 billion (around Rs 19,500 crore) in 2007. The number of deals dropped nine per cent to 149 in 2008 from 164 in 2007.
Some of the big deals in 2008 include $174 million (around Rs 870 crore) by Masdar in WinWind, a wind turbines company, followed by $161 million (around Rs 805 crore) by 3i in Krishnapatnam port in August 2008.
In May 2008, IDFC PC and Lehman invested $125 million (around Rs 625 crore) in Konaseema Gas Power while TPG Capital invested $120 million (around Rs 600 crore) in Shriram Retail Holdings, a financial services company.
Among southern cities, Bangalore topped the list by attracting $1,333 million (around Rs 6,650 crore) with 64 deals followed by Chennai with $902 (around Rs 4,500 crore) investment through 35 deals and Hyderabad $731(around Rs 3,650 crore) through 35 deals.
