Under the aegis of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) , the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), successfully concluded a high-impact Regional Investor Seminar on Awareness (RISA) in Puducherry today. The seminar is part of a nationwide initiative to enhance financial literacy, investor awareness and investor protection across the country.
The seminar witnessed participation from diverse audience of civil servants, existing and potential investors, students, professionals, and members of the community.
Shri Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairman, SEBI inaugurated the seminar and delivered the keynote address. He emphasized SEBI’s unwavering commitment for creating a transparent, strong, and fair regulatory framework to protect investors’ interests. He underscored that investor protection and market integrity are of paramount importance. SEBI Chairman spoke about fostering a culture of investing that benefits the entire ecosystem. Shri Pandey also apprised audience about SEBI Check that allows investors to verify the authenticity of UPI IDs and confirm the bank details of a registered intermediary.
Shri Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, NSE, in his opening address, highlighted NSE’s mission to be a beacon of investor education, awareness, and protection. He mentioned that there is exponential growth in India’s investor base which now stands at 12.2 crore unique registered investors. Hence, a financially literate and an aware investor is the strongest shield against frauds and scams and also facilitates their financial well-being.
Smt. Shruti S Yaragatti, IPS – Cybercrime, Puducherry, conducted a vital session on cybercrime awareness, a critical topic in the era of digitized transactions, providing attendees with tips on staying safe from online frauds.
Shri Suraj Mohan, Regional Director, SEBI SRO, addressed the regulatory framework and grievance redressal mechanisms available to investors.
NSE’s Commitment to Investor Empowerment
The seminar highlighted the National Stock Exchange’s deep-rooted commitment to financial inclusion and investor safety:
- Investor Awareness Programs (IAPs): NSE has ramped up its efforts, conducting 14,487 IAPs in FY26 alone (as of 31-Oct-25), reaching nearly 7.8 lakh participants, underscoring the massive scale of their educational outreach.
- Investor Protection Fund: The Investor Protection Fund stands at a corpus of ₹2,719 crore (as of 31-Oct-25), demonstrating a strong commitment to safeguarding investors’ money.
- Public Outreach: The exchange continues to collaborate with popular platforms like Kaun Banega Crorepati and leverage advertisements in traditional and new media to promote investor awareness.
The RISA seminar provided a comprehensive understanding of the securities market, covering essential topics including the process of planning to achieve financial goals and investing in various instruments like equities, bonds, Mutual Funds, REITs, and InvITs., Protecting oneself from frauds, scams, impersonation, and misinformation, among others. The event culminated with an Interactive Q&A Session and an NSE Quiz, fostering engagement and active participation.
