Investor Education, Not a One-Stop Effort: Synergy and Digitalisation as the Need of the Hour

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) Chair Unit of NCAER organized a workshop on 12th February at ICBM School of Business Excellence on the theme “Investor Education, Not a One-Stop Effort: Synergy and Digitalisation as the Need of the Hour”, in collaboration with the National Stock Exchange of India Limited.

Prof. B. J. Rao, Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad, inaugurated the event. In his address, he conceptualized investment in terms of both human and non-human wealth, emphasizing how financial decisions are an integral part of this broader perspective. He also discussed the transformative role of technology and the need to harness it for the well-being of society.

During the panel discussion that followed, Prof. Debashis Acharya from the School of Economics discussed the evolving digital payment landscape in India. He also highlighted cases of fraud and cybersecurity threats in payments and banking, particularly affecting senior citizens and other vulnerable groups. He underscored the urgent need to strengthen dispute resolution mechanisms and enhance regulatory interventions to build consumer trust in today’s payment and settlement systems. Additionally, he stressed the importance of frequent, customized financial literacy and awareness programs tailored to rural, semi-urban, and urban users of financial services.

The other speakers in the event and the panel discussion included:

– Lt. Colonel Aditya Sinha, GM, IEPFA

– Dr. Tirthankar Patnaik, Chief Economist, NSE India Ltd.

– Dr. Mamta Suri, Former Executive Director, IRDAI

– Mr. Krishnan Iyer, Senior Vice President – Business Development, NSE India Ltd.

– Prof. Satish Kumar, ICFAI Business School, IFHE, Hyderabad.

Dr. C. S. Mohapatra, IEPFA Chair Professor at NCAER, welcomed the participants and moderated the panel discussion and highlighted key initiatives undertaken by the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) and the Government of India to promote investor awareness.

The workshop concluded with an engaging Q&A session.