Kolkata, Jan 25: NSE under the aegis of SEBI in collaboration with other MIIs, NISM and AMFI has set up a pavilion (stall no – 249) at 49th International Kolkata Book Fair 2026 at Boimela Prangan, Bidhannagar, Kolkata for a period of 14 days from January 22, 2026. Shri Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, Whole Time Member, SEBI inaugurated the pavilion. Shri Jeevan Sonparote, Executive Director, SEBI, Shri Vikas SS, Regional Director, SEBI and other senior representatives of all participating institutions were present on the occassion. Shri Varshney also unveiled a booklet covering essential guidance on investing in the securities market and fraud & scam prevention. The pavilion aims to enhance the understanding of the securities market, fostering a culture of informed investing in appropriate financial products amongst individuals through its interactive stall, one-to-one interactions, investor grievance redressal support, etc. Visitors of the pavilion at IKBF can engage in exciting initiatives planned by NSE such as
- ‘Wheel of Financial Freedom’ game (a spin the wheel game aiming to spread awareness based on different aspects of investing).
- ‘Every Move Matters’ game (Learning how to make smart investing decisions through Snakes and Ladders game)
Visitors of the pavilion at IKBF will also have the opportunity to engage in other exciting initiatives jointly ideated with SEBI and MIIs such as online Financial Quiz and Segregation game (an engaging activity where participants learn various concepts of investing and fraud and scam identification). The pavilion will also feature investor awareness workshops/seminars, interactive display screens, and a grievance redressal helpdesk. West Bengal’s growing investor base As of December 2025, West Bengal has 73.5 lakh registered investors, which comprises 5.9% of NSE’s registered investor base and is ranked 4th largest investor base in India. West Bengal added 9.9 Lakh investors in 2025 which is 6.3% of the total new investor registrations. In 2025, 5 companies were listed on mainboard from West Bengal raising Rs 4507 crores while 13 companies were listed on the SME platform from West Bengal raising Rs 591 crores. The International Kolkata Book Fair, fondly known as Boi Mela, is a celebration of Kolkata’s timeless love for books and knowledge. Just as reading nurtures curiosity, discipline, and long-term thinking, investing in the securities market is also rooted in informed decision-making, patience, and continuous learning. By blending the spirit of Boi Mela with investor education and protection initiatives, NSE aims to reinforce the message that informed investing—like good reading—is a lifelong habit that rewards patience, awareness, and responsibility.