A combination of online hype, a small free float, and India’s growing number of retail investors fueled 149 consecutive limit-up sessions. (AI image)

RRP Semiconductor Ltd has become a social media sensation – imagine a stock that surges 55,000% in just 20 months! But, the focus on the world’s top-performing stock is particularly evident now, as it serves as a warning for investors seeking large returns from the artificial intelligence surge.RRP Semiconductor Ltd., previously little-known even in India, has seen the biggest global gain among companies with a market value of over $1 billion. The surge comes despite the company reporting negative revenue in its latest financial results, having only two full-time employees in its most recent annual report, and maintaining a weak connection to the semiconductor spending boom after moving away from real estate in early 2024, according to a Bloomberg report.

Why is RRP Semiconductor Ltd stock in focus?

A combination of online hype, a small free float, and India’s growing number of retail investors fueled 149 consecutive limit-up sessions, even as exchange officials and the company have warned investors. The rally is now showing signs of weakening, prompting regulators to take a closer look. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has started investigating the surge in RRP’s shares for potential misconduct, Bloomberg reported. The $1.7 billion stock, recently limited by its exchange to trading only once a week, has dropped by 6% from its peak on November 7. While RRP’s path is unlikely to significantly impact the broader AI rally that has added trillions of dollars in value to global giants like Nvidia Corp., it illustrates how extreme gains have become in certain market segments—especially in India, where the lack of listed chipmakers has left retail investors waiting for any indirect exposure to the global boom. For some, this case also highlights the challenge regulators face in protecting retail investors from speculative excess.

RRP shares soar after chip ambitions announced

“Semiconductors have been really hot and people are willing to buy any name given India has limited stocks to offer” Sonam Srivastava, founder of Wryght Research & Capital Pvt told Bloomberg. However, with global concerns about AI valuations, situations like RRP’s suggest that investors may not be quick to invest in these stocks.In Asia, exchanges and chipmakers are cautioning investors about the risks of pursuing popular AI trades. In Shanghai, Moore Threads Technology Co., a newly listed AI-chip startup, saw a 13% drop in shares on December 12 after warning about trading risks, although the stock is still up over 500% since its debut earlier this month. In South Korea, SK Hynix Inc. saw a decline after the main exchange issued a risk alert on December 11, following a more than threefold increase in its shares in 2025.A spokesperson for BSE Ltd., where RRP is listed, said that all surveillance actions regarding the stock were communicated through market circulars. RRP’s transformation began in early 2024 when Group founder Rajendra Chodankar, known for offering niche products like thermal imaging systems and weapon-drone cameras, made a deal to take over G D Trading and Agencies Ltd. by repaying an 80 million-rupee loan for equity. On April 23, the board authorized the sale of shares to him and several others at 12 rupees each, which was 40% below the market price. This decision resulted in Chodankar acquiring 74.5% ownership, while the founders’ stake dropped to less than 2%. The company also decided to change its name to RRP Semiconductor.Two months ago, Chodankar had established RRP Electronics Pvt. to create an outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing facility in Maharashtra, a connection that may have contributed to the narrative surrounding the listed company and his private venture. At a September 2024 event for RRP Electronics’ new unit in Navi Mumbai, Chodankar stated during a media briefing: “India is going to be a superhuman, it’s established beyond doubt.” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar were also in attendance, as shown in YouTube videos posted by RRP.Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2021 initiative to boost the semiconductor industry — a 760 billion-rupee incentive program — has attracted $18 billion in announced investments from companies like Foxconn, Micron Technology, Tata Group, and HCL Technologies.RRP Semiconductor identifies RRP Electronics as a related party because both are owned by Chodankar, although it does not have any direct ownership stake, according to exchange filings.

AI-Light Has Been lagging Asia This Year

Despite this, some investors began to see RRP Semiconductor as a potential beneficiary of the chip industry boom. This enthusiasm overshadowed the fact that very little of its stock is actively traded: about 98% of shares are held by Chodankar and a small group of associates, many of whom are also involved in other RRP-related companies, such as RRP Defense, Indian Link Chain Manufacturers, RRP Electronics, and RRP S4E Innovation, according to filings with the BSE and the corporate affairs ministry.In April of this year, the exchange revoked approval for the company’s share sale, a decision that RRP has contested in an appeals court, with the outcome still pending. In October, it issued a warning to investors a year after placing the stock under its strictest surveillance.In September 2024, SEBI reminded the company that it was barred from accessing the securities market due to its connection with the founder group of Shree Vindhya Paper Mills. This firm was delisted by the BSE in 2017 for non-compliance, resulting in a 10-year market ban.A source told Bloomberg that BSE saw an “internal lapse” while processing the company’s offering and might seek SEBI’s advice on whether to extend the lock-in period on the shares until the appeal is settled.A BSE spokesperson noted that in RRP’s initial application, the company claimed that neither it nor its founders and directors were barred from market access, directly or indirectly. The exchange’s approval was based on this information.Since the stock rose from 20 rupees in April 2024, the company’s largest shareholder, Chodankar, stepped down from the board, and the chief financial officer resigned before returning as the company secretary. RRP also filed a police complaint against a social media influencer for allegedly spreading rumors about its supposed connections to cricketer Tendulkar and state-allocated land for chipmaking.In a November 3 exchange filing, the company stated it “has yet to start any sort of semiconductor manufacturing activities,” has not applied for any government programs, and denied any celebrity associations.The company’s financials were concerning. RRP reported a negative revenue of 68.2 million rupees and a net loss of 71.5 million rupees for the quarter ending in September. The negative revenue resulted from reversing sales recorded in the December 2024 quarter from a 4.4-billion-rupee order secured in November from Telecrown Infratech Pvt. The order was later canceled due to “contractual disagreements,” and the company also reversed 80 million rupees of revenue in the March quarter.These weak financials come at a challenging time for the stock. With the excitement around AI diminishing and regulatory scrutiny increasing, the risks now lie with investors who have invested heavily, as well as with Chodankar, who has nearly the entire stock float.

You don’t have permission to access “http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/historic-afghan-cinema-in-kabul-demolished-for-shopping-mall-amid-taliban-ban-on-films-9844476” on this server.

Reference #18.2ef63717.1766127090.4643582

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.2ef63717.1766127090.4643582

I had to rescue myself, my dignity and my self-respect,” says Celina Jaitly as she returns to India. Married in 2010 and based in Austria for years, the actress is back in Mumbai amid a turbulent personal chapter. She has filed a domestic violence case against her husband, Peter Haag, and is also grappling with the crisis of her brother Major (retired) Vikrant Jaitly being detained in the UAE since 2024. In an exclusive interview with us, Celina speaks about this trying phase of her life, asserting that she intends to stand her ground and fight with dignity through it all. On social media, you would post fun videos with your kids – Winston, Viraaj, Arthur. However, at home, it seems the story was far from rosy. You recently admitted that there have been cracks in your marriage for years. How long have you been living in an unhappy marriage?What appears on social media is only a fragment of real life. I had been battling an unhealthy marriage for several years before it became visible to the outside world. Like many women, I tried to preserve some sense of normalcy for my children while navigating very difficult realities in private.

Do you regret being in a bad marriage for so many years and do you wish you had moved back to India sooner?I don’t regret trying to keep my family together because my intentions were always sincere. Losing both my parents made me deeply insecure about walking away and standing up for myself. I had already lost my emotional anchors, and I feared losing everything else – my financial independence and above all, my children. I felt an overwhelming responsibility to give them a stable home, to respect the culture they had grown up in, and to ensure they did not have to be abruptly pulled away from an environment that felt like home – their schools, routines and their entire world. All of that had to be protected before I could even think of protecting myself.You lost both your parents in 2018. Is your brother your only immediate family apart from your kids?Apart from my children and my brother, I also have my 95-year-old grandmother, who I love deeply and others who I have not been closely in touch. I did reach out to some of them, but unfortunately, they chose to distance themselves from the situation for reasons best known to them. This journey has revealed who truly stands by you when life becomes difficult.

Celina Jaitly, who comes from an armed forces family, with her parents and brother in a throwback picture

Your brother, Major (retd) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly has been detained in Abu Dhabi since last September. Has it been a lone battle to free him? What’s the development? When was the last time you spoke to him?I am not entirely alone, but I am the one relentlessly pursuing every possible legal and diplomatic avenue. The matter is extremely sensitive and ongoing, and I must be cautious about the details. The lack of free communication with my brother has been one of the most painful aspects of this ordeal.Tell us about your relationship with your brother. Would you talk to him about the troubles you were facing in your marriage?We laughed together, cried together, joked endlessly, and we stood shoulder to shoulder, while caring for our dying parents. Those experiences forged a bond that goes beyond words. Yes, he was absolutely my strength. I turned to him when my marriage was falling apart. He listened without judgement, grounded me, and reminded me of who I was when I began doubting myself.Are you back in India to start afresh?Returning to India was not optional; it was essential. I had to rescue myself, my dignity, and my self-respect. After being served a divorce notice under the pretext of collecting a gift ordered for me at the post office, I was deeply shaken to realise that further efforts were being made to strip me of my independence even after the marriage had ended. Returning to my home ground allowed me to stand tall, fight with my head held high, and reclaim my voice. Are you planning to make a comeback to acting?My work is not just a profession, it is a form of expression. I am deeply grateful for it because, in many ways, my work is rescuing me on multiple levels emotionally, financially, and psychologically. It restores my sense of agency and purpose.You have been going through testing times in the past few years. How have these experiences reshaped your understanding of inner strength and self-worth?The last few years stripped me of everything that was superficial and forced me to confront who I am at my core. I learned that inner strength is quiet and consistent, not performative. Self-worth today comes from knowing that I stood up for myself, my children, and my family values even when it was frightening to do so.

A moment of fast-bowling brilliance from Mitchell Starc turned the tide decisively in Australia’s favour on Day 3 of the Adelaide Test, as the left-armer bowled a sensational delivery to dismiss England captain Ben Stokes and halt a threatening partnership during the Ashes 2025–26 series.

Mitchell Starc floors Ben Stokes with a ripper

Coming in the first ball of the 85th over, Starc unleashed a 143.6 kmph wobble-seam delivery that nipped back sharply. Stokes, attempting to force the ball through the off-side, failed to account for the late movement. A sizeable gap opened between bat and pad, allowing the ball to sneak through and crash into the off stump. The crowd erupted as Starc roared in celebration, punching the air after breaking a crucial century stand.

Stokes, meanwhile, was visibly furious with himself. He jumped in disbelief at the crease, tossed his bat skywards, and walked back angrily, knowing he had missed out on a possible match-defining hundred. The dismissal, captured on video and widely shared online, instantly became one of the standout moments of the series.

Here’s the video:

OH MY WORD WHAT A SEED FROM MITCH STARC!#Ashes | #PlayoftheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/1z4idDsklT

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 19, 2025

England bowled Out for 286 after fighting knock

Despite Starc’s breakthrough, England showed resilience earlier in the session, eventually being bowled out for 286. Captain Stokes played a vital hand, scoring a gritty 83 runs, anchoring the innings and leading from the front when England were under pressure.

He found valuable support from Jofra Archer, who contributed an important 51, ensuring England avoided a collapse and remained competitive in the contest. However, Australia’s disciplined bowling attack prevented the visitors from pushing on to a more imposing total.

For the hosts, skipper Pat Cummins led admirably with the ball, finishing with figures of 3/69, while Scott Boland was equally impressive, claiming 3/45 with his trademark accuracy and relentless line and length. Their combined efforts ensured Australia secured a crucial first-innings lead of 85 runs.

Also WATCH: Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes involve in heated argument on Day 2 of Adelaide Test | Ashes 2025-26

Australia extend advantage before Tea

Australia carried their momentum into the second innings, batting with authority and composure. By Tea on Day 3, the hosts had moved to 119/2, extending their overall lead to a commanding 204 runs.

Travis Head once again proved his value in Adelaide conditions, remaining unbeaten on 68, playing with freedom and intent. At the other end, Usman Khawaja provided stability, sitting pretty on 27 not out, as the pair frustrated the English bowlers with a confident and controlled partnership.

Also WATCH: Ashes 2025-26 – Mitchell Starc loses cool and demands ‘sacking’ of snicko technology after Jamie Smith incident on Day 2 of Adelaide Test

You don’t have permission to access “http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-president-donald-trump-suspends-green-card-lottery-programme-after-brown-university-mit-shootings-9844580” on this server.

Reference #18.14092017.1766127019.6428f42

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.14092017.1766127019.6428f42

Asian equities inched higher on Friday after as investors relieved after softer reading of US inflation, expecting another interest rate cut as early as next month. Optimism was further supported by strong earnings from US chipmaker Micron Technology, which eased fears that the rally in technology stocks may be overstretched.Hong Kong’s HSI is trading at 25,645, up 147 points or 0.58%. Nikkei reached 49,567, adding 566 points or 1.16%. Shenzhen and Shanghai also added 0.75% and 0.42%, respectively. South Korea’s Kospi also inched 33 points to 4,028 at 11:03 AM IST. Data released overnight showed US inflation slowed last month to its lowest level since July and came in well below market expectations. The figures helped steady investor sentiment after concerns grew in recent weeks over the outlook for monetary easing following the Federal Reserve’s policy decision last week. While traders had earlier scaled back expectations of a fourth straight rate cut in January, the latest data revived hopes of further easing. According to Bloomberg News, markets are now pricing in a 20 percent chance of a rate cut next month, with two reductions expected by the end of 2026. However, analysts cautioned that the inflation figures may not present a clear picture. The data was collected during the longest-ever US government shutdown, which ended in mid-November, potentially skewing the results. Economists at Bank of America said “we recommend taking (the) report with a large grain of salt”, pointing to “shutdown-related distortions”. Even so, Wall Street reacted positively, with all three major indices closing higher. US stocks have been under pressure recently as investors question when returns will materialise from the vast amounts of capital poured into artificial intelligence, fuelling talk of a possible bubble in the technology sector. Those concerns were partly soothed on Thursday after Micron Technology reported a sharp surge in profits, with quarterly earnings nearly tripling to $5.2 billion. The company said it was benefiting from the AI boom and also delivered a positive outlook for the current quarter.Tokyo added over 1% as attention turned to the Bank of Japan’s policy decision later in the day. The central bank is widely expected to raise interest rates to their highest level in 30 years. The anticipated move follows data showing inflation in Japan remained steady at three percent in November. Japanese government bond yields have climbed in recent weeks amid concerns over budget discipline under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October, while the yen has weakened. Takaichi has pledged to prioritise the fight against inflation. The yen showed little movement against the dollar on Friday, though analysts expect the currency to strengthen as US rates fall and Japanese rates rise.

LUCKNOW: When the IPL-2026 miniauction was on in Abu Dhabi, rightarm legbreak bowler Vishal Nishad was watching at Kanpur’s Kamla Club, at the Uttar Pradesh team’s camp for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. The screen felt personal: one pick from any franchise could change his life.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The first round stung. “When I went unsold, I was sceptical,” he said. Then the third round arrived and Punjab Kings raised the paddle. “Punjab Kings bought me for Rs 30 lakh. This is a life-changing moment for me,” Nishad told TOI.

Nishad’s path to that IPL slot began far, far away from big-city cricket stadiums, in Jangal Ayodhya Prasad village in the Khorabar police station area in Gorakhpur. “I used to play cricket with a tennis ball,” he said. This was until his friend Vineet Pandey urged him to train with a leather ball instead. Nishad resisted for one reason: “I didn’t have any money.”Pandey refused to give up, spoke to a coach and Nishad found his way to the Sanskriti Cricket Academy in Gorakhpur. There, coach Kalyan Singh agreed to watch him bowl, of course while charging a fee.Then the coach heard about the family’s financial hardships and decided to change his mind. “When he learned about my poverty, he gave me training for three years without taking any money,” Nishad, who couldn’t even afford a cricket kit, said. “I practiced by borrowing kits, from shoes to bats, from other players.”

In 2024, the first hurdle arrived with a UP T20 League trials. A practice match in Noida implied travel he couldn’t pay for. “I borrowed Rs 2000 from my friend in the village and went to Noida and took three wickets in the first practice match.” He made the cut, stayed on for camp, and on his UP T20 debut, picked up seven wickets in four matches for the Gorakhpur Lions. The next season brought six in five.The IPL didn’t arrive by accident. Nishad went for trials, including for Punjab Kings in Lucknow, and videos of his ‘mystery bowling’ began to be circulated among franchise talent spotters. Punjab Kings scout Ankit Rajpoot, who had first seen him with Gorakhpur Lions, said, “He has great talent.”Back home, the auction price carried weight. “My father is a carpenter and mason who works on daily wages. Our family never thought that a child from our family would play IPL,” Nishad said. He knows the spotlight is still distant, but the door is open. “I will try to make my identity if I get the opportunity.”

Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan

New Delhi: “Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana (You have the right to work but never to the fruit of work)”. This is written in verse no. 47 of chapter no. 2 in the Bhagavad Gita, which brought Ishan Kishan to tears.Exactly a year ago in December, while going through personal turmoil, Ishan Kishan started reading the Bhagavad Gita – a conversation between Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Like Arjuna, Ishan was fighting two battles — one with his career, which was sabotaged by the men who mattered, and still matter, in Indian cricket, and the other with uncertainty over where his career was heading.

In the last four Decembers, the wicketkeeper-batter has seen the highs, the lows and redemption.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In December 2022, he scored a whirlwind double century off just 126 balls in Chattogram. The previous fastest double hundred in men’s ODIs was 138 balls, by Chris Gayle for West Indies against Zimbabwe in Canberra during the 2015 World Cup.

Ishan Kishan with his family

In December 2023, when he asked for a break due to mental fatigue, it irked the then team management. The management failed to appreciate the natural frustration that builds up in players who are repeatedly benched. Conversely, the narrative floated by the team management led by then coach Rahul Dravid, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and the then leadership group suggested that Kishan did not handle his non-selection with the expected mindset.In December 2024, while scrolling through his mobile phone, he came across a quote from the Bhagavad Gita which intrigued the talented wicketkeeper-batter, prompting him to call his father to understand its meaning. After Pranav Pandey, Ishan’s father, narrated a few shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita, Ishan ordered the holy book and since then it has become an integral part of his life, alongside his bats and keeping gloves.Cut to the present — leading Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the southpaw slammed 517 runs at an exhilarating strike rate of 197.32, including a 51-ball hundred in the final against Haryana. The knock was enough to help Jharkhand win their maiden domestic T20 title.Between these four Decembers, Ishan’s life has turned upside down.

Spirituality and family has helped Ishan Kishan battle through the dark times

After his double hundred against Bangladesh in an ODI, it seemed Kishan had secured the opening slot alongside Rohit Sharma for the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, in the very next ODI at home against Sri Lanka, the team management opted for Shubman Gill, with Kishan relegated to a reserve role throughout the multi-nation tournament where he only played when Gill was unavailable due to dengue. When KL Rahul was unavailable in the lead-up to the World Cup, Kishan stepped into the middle order and produced impressive returns — including a 91 against a strong Pakistan pace attack on a tough Pallekele surface — only to make way once Rahul regained full fitness.In T20Is too, despite Rishabh Pant’s absence and Kishan being a left-handed option, India preferred right-handers Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson for their middle-order suitability.Back in the day, R Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, heaped praise on Kishan, calling him an “extraordinary team man,” while recalling an incident from India’s West Indies tour. Ashwin also lauded Kishan’s attitude despite continuously warming the bench after performing well. “One more thing is that Ishan Kishan is an extraordinary team man. He will mix positive vibes with the water he is giving to the players in the XI,” Ashwin had said.

Rajkot: India A’s Ishan Kishan plays a shot during the third unofficial ODI cricket match between India A and South Africa A, at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. (PTI Photo)(PTI11_19_2025_000275B)

But it was Kishan’s attitude that was questioned by Dravid and Agarkar after he asked for a break in South Africa, where Dravid said his technique was not suited for overseas conditions and that KL Rahul would keep the gloves. This came despite Kishan having kept wickets in the intra-squad match and being told by then captain Rohit Sharma that he was going to play.Later, Dravid stated that if Ishan Kishan wanted to play for India again, he must play domestic cricket. The same Dravid seemingly overlooked the fact that four days after his double century in Chattogram on December 10, Kishan scored a century against Kerala in Ranchi.It has been four years since Ishan Kishan last played for India. Since then, he has featured in the DY Patil Tournament, the Buchi Babu Trophy, IPL, county cricket, and most importantly, domestic cricket for Jharkhand. In the meantime, he lost his central contract after the BCCI instructed top cricketers to “give precedence to domestic cricket” when not on national duty.

Nagpur: Jharkhand’s captain Ishan Kishan sets the field during the third day of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 cricket match between Vidarbha and Jharkhand, in Nagpur. (PTI Photo)(PTI10_27_2025_000277B)

Luck also did not favour Kishan, who was set to return to the Test set-up for the Oval Test as a replacement for the injured Rishabh Pant against England. However, an injury ruled him out and Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan was flown in as backup to Dhruv Jurel. Kishan was considered a like-for-like replacement for Pant.Kishan’s name has been put forward during multiple team selections since then but has been stonewalled due to “attitude problem”. It is learnt that he was very close to a return for the ODI series vs South Africa but his selection didn’t get the required support. This despite a long discussion for the second wicketkeeper spot.When the times were tough and the youngster was losing patience and mental peace by regularly warming the bench across formats, the Bhagavad Gita and spirituality helped him find peace and a newfound discipline in his life.

Nagpur: Jharkhand’s captain Ishan Kishan with teammates during the third day of the Ranji Trophy match between Vidarbha and Jharkhand at VCA Stadium, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. (PTI Photo)(PTI10_27_2025_000112A)

“The setback has taught him discipline and has made him hungrier than ever to play for India again,” his father Pranav Pandey told TimesofIndia.com.“The boy who always brought a smile to everyone’s face stopped smiling. As parents, my wife and I used to cry. It was a difficult phase and it has passed. He left Patna at the age of 12 and moved to Ranchi for cricket, and people were saying he had no interest in playing for India. It was painful to see those memes,” recalled an emotional father.The 12-year-old Ishan was shifted to a two-room quarter in Doranda, Ranchi, where he shared the flat with three others twice his age. “They used to cook food, and Ishan, who had no clue about cooking, was given the job of cleaning utensils,” remembers Pranav.“There were numerous occasions when he was alone in the flat. He learned how to cook Maggi, which often became his dinner. In the morning, before practice, he would drink sattu, while chips and soft drinks became his lunch. He shared these stories with us when he became captain of the India U-19 World Cup team in 2016,” he adds.

Nagpur: Rest of India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad, left, Ishan Kishan, right, and others return to pavilion due to low light on day three of the Irani Cup 2025 cricket match between Vidarbha and Rest of India, at Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. (PTI Photo) (PTI10_03_2025_000286B)

Pranav shared an incident before Ishan left for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. “I wished him luck and, like any father, asked him to be selfish. He replied with a shloka from the Gita — ‘Anusasitaṃ manaḥ sukhaṃ janayati’ (A disciplined mind brings happiness). It brought tears to my eyes, and he burst into laughter. We have got our son back, and soon he will get his place in the team back,” says Pranav, a cricket tragic himself.

A lot of water has flown under the bridge since he was last seen in India colours, and the curious case of the missing Ishan Kishan remains a puzzle that may never be fully answered. But with wisdom drawn from the Bhagavad Gita, the fire in the cricketer continues to burn.