If you’ve ever wondered which investment truly stands the test of time in India, look no further than the Sensex. This powerhouse index has quietly turned small savings into massive fortunes over the last four-and-a-half decades.
Starting way back in April 1979 with a modest base value of 100, the Sensex has zoomed up to a whopping 80,000 by 2025. That’s nearly an 800-fold increase! To put it simply: money invested here has doubled roughly every five years. Imagine putting in just Rs 10,000 back then, today, you’d be sitting on almost Rs 80 lakh. Not bad, at all right?
Milestones Along the Way
The Sensex story is not about big numbers alone, it is about resilience and steady growth through every twist and turn. It reached an all-time high of 85,978 in 2024 but has seen its share of dips too. Remember March 2020 – when COVID-19 shook the world and Sensex plunged to 25,638? What followed was pure magic. The index bounced back spectacularly, hitting nearly 80,000 by 2025 — a 211% gain in just five years! So, every Rs 1 lakh invested during that panic is now worth over Rs 3 lakh. Crisis turned opportunity, indeed.
The Market’s Comeback Kid
The Sensex’s ability to bounce back is legendary. After the 2008 global financial crisis, it crashed from over 21,000 to under 7,700, only to more than double to 17,530 within a year. Then came the COVID crash, followed by one of the fastest recoveries ever. So what is the takeaway here – time in the market beats timing the market. Through liberalization in the ’90s, the IT boom in the 2000s, infrastructure growth in the 2010s, and the digital revolution in the 2020s, the Sensex has ridden every wave of India’s growth story.
From lows of 7,697 in 2008 to highs nearing 86,000 in 2024, every market scare has been a stepping stone to greater wealth.
The Dream of 1 Lakh and Beyond
Investors and market watchers are buzzing about the Sensex hitting the 1 lakh mark soon. Morgan Stanley gives it a 30% chance within the next year. Billionaire investor Raamdeo Agrawal believes it could touch 1.5 lakh by 2030 and 3 lakh by 2035 — numbers that seem wild but not impossible given India’s growth trajectory.
With India poised to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030, clocking a GDP of $7.3 trillion, the Sensex is set to keep creating wealth for the next generation of investors. In short: Patience pays, panic costs, and the Sensex keeps proving why it’s India’s ultimate wealth machine.
Women Investors on the Rise
Now let us turn our attention to investors particulalry – women investors – a recent National Stock Exchange (NSE) report highlights a notable increase in women’s participation in the Indian stock market as of June 2025. Maharashtra and Gujarat have emerged as frontrunners, with Maharashtra’s female investor share rising from 25.6% in FY23 to 28.4% in FY25. Similarly, Gujarat has witnessed a surge in female investors, reflecting a broader trend of financial inclusivity beyond metropolitan hubs.
This uptick is attributed to several factors:
- Digital Onboarding: Simplified online processes have made investing more accessible.
- Financial Literacy Initiatives: Programs aimed at enhancing financial knowledge have empowered more women to invest.
- Awareness Campaigns: Efforts to highlight the importance of financial independence have resonated with many.
Interestingly, over 60% of these women investors hail from regions outside the top six metro cities, indicating a shift towards decentralized financial participation.
Youth Investor Participation: A Slight Dip
Despite the rise in women investors, the share of investors under 30 years of age has seen a slight decline. This trend raises questions about the factors influencing younger individuals’ engagement with the stock market.
Potential reasons could include:
- Market Volatility: Fluctuating markets may deter risk-averse young investors.
- Financial Priorities: Emerging financial commitments, such as education loans or early career expenses, might take precedence.
- Alternative Investment Avenues: The allure of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets could be diverting attention from traditional stock investments.
What It Says: The overall increase in female participation and the slight dip in younger investors suggest a dynamic shift in India’s investment ecosystem. While women, particularly from smaller states, are embracing stock market opportunities, the youth demographic may require tailored strategies to reignite their interest.
The Last Bit
