An in-depth look at the National Stock Exchange’s journey and its impact on India’s financial evolution
Mumbai: HistoryTV18 is set to premiere an exclusive, hour-long documentary that offers an unprecedented look into the National Stock Exchange’s (NSE) remarkable journey over the past 30 years. Titled NSE: Enabling a Billion Dreams, the documentary will air on 3rd November at 7:05 PM on HistoryTV18, providing viewers with a detailed exploration of the NSE’s evolution from its inception in 1992, start of operations in 1994 to becoming one of the largest and most influential stock exchanges in the world.
India’s stock markets have undergone a significant transformation over the decades, evolving from traditional open-outcry trading floors to sophisticated electronic platforms. The establishment of the NSE marked a watershed moment in this evolution, setting new standards for transparency and efficiency in the capital markets. NSE was incorporated on November 27, 1992. It started operations for debt segment in June 1994 and in equity segment on Diwali day on November 3, 1994. NSE has now completed 30 years of operations.
Since its launch, the NSE has revolutionised India’s capital markets by introducing electronic trading and fostering fairness, efficiency and transparency. Today, it NSE stands as the world’s largest stock exchange in terms of number of orders and number of trades for any exchange. On many days NSE handles more than 50% of all trades across all exchanges in the world put together. NSE is also the largest derivatives exchange by the number of contracts traded and 3rd largest globally in cash market trades. The NSE has contributed to India’s market capitalisation soaring to over Rs. 440 lakh crore (i.e. USD 5.24 trillion) from about Rs. 4 lakh Crore 30 years ago, growing about 110 times and, underscoring its impact on the global financial stage.
The documentary highlights the NSE’s innovative strides in transforming India’s capital markets, showcasing how the exchange introduced electronic trading, brought transparency, and democratised market access, reshaping the nation’s economic trajectory. Over 10.5 Crore investorss having over 20 Crore accounts registered with the Exchange, the NSE has significantly broadened investor participation, making stock markets accessible to people across the country.
“At HistoryTV18, our mission is to bring impactful stories that resonate with our viewers,” said Avinash Kaul, CEO – Broadcast Network 18 and MD A+E Networks | TV 18. “Our documentary NSE: Enabling a Billion Dreams highlights the NSE’s role in transforming India’s financial landscape. By chronicling 30 years of the NSE’s journey, we aim to show how it democratized wealth creation, fostered innovation, and empowered millions to contribute to India’s economic growth. We hope to inspire viewers to understand how such institutions shape our country’s future.”
The film examines technological milestones such as the introduction of NEAT (National Exchange for Automated Trading), setting up of Clearing Corporation giving settlement guarantee, the dematerialisation of shares, which eliminated physical trading barriers, reduced settlement times from weeks to just one day, and enhanced market efficiency. The NSE’s implementation of T+1 settlement cycles places India among the few markets globally to achieve such rapid transaction settlements, boosting investor confidence and market liquidity.
Featuring insights from industry stalwarts and experts, the documentary offers exclusive perspectives from leaders across the financial and technological spectrum. Viewers will hear from NSE’s MD and CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan who was a part of the founding team at NSE. Viewers will also hear and visionaries like Uday Kotak, Raamdeo Agrawal of Motilal Oswal Financial Services, former SEBI Chairman U.K. Sinha, and former NSE and RBI board member Y.H. Malegam. Other contributors include Ghazal and Varun Alagh, S. Ramadorai, Vineet Nayar, and seasoned journalists Lata Venkatesh and Shereen Bhan. The documentary is further enriched with contributions from academic experts like Dr. Tadashi Endo and market experts like Deven Choksey.
“We are pleased to collaborate with HistoryTV18 on this documentary that encapsulates our 30-year journey,” said Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO of NSE. “In these 30 years, NSE has more than fulfilled its vision of creating a vibrant and growth-oriented stock market ecosystem to channelise savings of Indian households into productive capital in the most cost-effective, fair, efficient, transparent and orderly ways and help in wealth creation and job creation. By sharing our story, we hope to highlight the collective efforts that have shaped India’s financial ecosystem. It is our hope that this film will inspire future generations to engage actively with India’s financial markets, driving inclusive growth and contributing to the country’s continued prosperity.”
These impressive statistics underscore the NSE’s influence in wealth creation, job creation and its pivotal role in attracting both domestic and international investors.
NSE: Enabling a Billion Dreams premieres on 3rd November at 7:05 PM on HistoryTV18. The film will also be broadcast across multiple platforms, including CNBC TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC Bajar, CNN News18, and will be available for streaming on moneycontrol.com and HistoryTV18’s YouTube channel, ensuring it reaches a wide and diverse audience. Subsequently, many re-runs of the same will be done on these channels. Regional language versions will also be run on various regional channels of Network 18 Group several times.