Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulator of securities market in India. Securities Market in India has a very fascinating and distinguished history. Towards the close of 181 century, loan securities issued by East India Company marked the beginning of dealings in securities in India. Stock trading in shares in banks and cotton mills was taking place under a Banyan Tree in Bombay during 1830s. The first formal  exchange,  which was  later known as Bombay Stock Exchange came in existence

With the passing of SEBI Act, the first decade saw substantial progress in the regulatory architecture, trading mechanism, growth and volume of the market and introduction of new class of investors like foreign portfolio investors. The second decade was more challenging with many innovative measures like further IPO reforms, corporatization and demutualization of stock exchanges, prudent risk management norms, etc.

Capacity building in securities market has been taken very fervently by SEBI. For this purpose, SEBI has set up a dedicated institute, namely, 'National Institute  of  Securities  Market'  (NISM).  It  has  also in 1875.  Subsequently, many stock exchanges were launched an investor awareness campaign using print.

set up in different States - at Calcutta, Madras, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Indore, being some of the important ones.

With the increased pace of economy, the need for robust regulatory mechanism for developing healthy capital markets and  for preventing trading malpractices was realized, which led to the establishment of SEBI in 1987-88. It started functioning in 1988. SEBI was legally empowered with the passing of the SEBI Act in 1992 to function as an independent and autonomous regulator. As per the Act, SE131's objectives are:- to protect the interests of investors in securities market, to promote the development of securities market and to regulate the securities market. SEBI conducts surveillance through its automated Integrated Market Surveillance System (IMSS) and Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence System (DWBIS) and takes regulatory action against offenders in the securities market and  electronic  media.

The  Indian securities  market today competes with the global peers, with NSE and BSE being ranked amongst the top 10 exchanges in the world, on various parameters. SEBI is an active member of international for a such as The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), Financial Stability Board (FSB) and Joint Forum etc. and a signatory to the Multilateral MoUs with IOSCO for information sharing and regulatory co-operation.

Department of Posts is happy to release a Commemorative Postage Stamp on completion of 25 years of successful journey of Securities and Exchange Board of India.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India