India celebrates its 12th Ring the Bell for Gender Equality

Date: Friday, 1 May 2026

On 13 March 2026, India’s capital markets sent a powerful message on gender equality. Marking International Women’s Day, UN Women partnered with India’s leading stock exchanges, BSE Limited (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) to organize the 12^th edition of the Ring the Bell for Gender Equality in India. Leaders from financial institutions, government, development partners and the private sector, including the European Union (EU), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), came together to discuss how capital markets can accelerate progress towards gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

A group of people stand on a red‑carpeted stage during a formal ceremony. At the center, a silver bell hangs on a metal frame with two wooden mallets, and one person is ringing the bell while others clap. A backdrop with repeated “BSE” logos and a digital display is visible behind the bell.

The Opening Bell ceremony at BSE Limited marked the 12th Ring the Bell for Gender Equality in India. Photo: Courtesy of BSE Limited

Financial markets play a powerful role in shaping economic opportunity, corporate leadership and the future of industries. Recognizing this influence, the event began with the Opening Bell ceremony at BSE Limited, where discussions focused on the growing momentum of women-led enterprises and the role of financial markets in enabling them to scale.

Speakers highlighted that while women are increasingly building businesses across sectors, barriers to accessing finance, investment networks and market visibility continue to limit their ability to grow. Strengthening financial ecosystems that support women entrepreneurs was emphasized as critical to unlocking their full economic potential.

As Sundararaman Ramamurthy, Managing Director and CEO of BSE Limited, noted, “Women entrepreneurs are shaping families, societies, enterprises and India’s future at large. Platforms such as BSE SME and SSE are designed to give them visibility, credibility and access to capital, helping them scale from local to global while creating long-term wealth and social impact.”

A person stands at a wooden podium with a “BSE” logo and speaks into a microphone during a formal indoor event. Several seated participants are visible on the stage behind the podium. Large screens and panels in the background display “BSE” and “shethepeople” logos, indicating an organized public programme at a stock exchange venue.

Suhela Khan, UN Women India, speaks at the Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event. Photo: Courtesy of BSE Limited

Suhela Khan, Country Programme Manager – Women’s Economic Empowerment, and Officer-in-Charge of the UN Women India Country Office, highlighted: “India's capital markets are becoming a powerful platform for women-led transformation – from SMEs scaling for growth to social enterprises driving change through BSE. Ensuring women have equal access to capital, networks and market opportunity is not just good for business – it is essential to building a more inclusive and resilient India.”

Closing the Bell ceremony at the National Stock Exchange of India. Photo: Courtesy of the NSE

Discussions highlighted the increasing participation of women as investors and entrepreneurs. At the same time, speakers noted that representation of women-led enterprises declines as businesses scale, underscoring the need for stronger pathways that enable women entrepreneurs to transition from micro and small enterprises to larger, market-ready companies.

The programme concluded with the Closing Bell ceremony at the NSE, where leaders from across the financial ecosystem reaffirmed their commitment to advancing gender equality in corporate leadership and financial markets.

Ashishkumar Chauhan, Managing Director and CEO of the NSE, said: “Today, women make up nearly 25 per cent of our registered investor base. Over the last decade itself, we have added roughly [25 million] women to the capital markets. Women are demonstrating a highly disciplined, long-term orientation to wealth-creation, building a future where every woman has the opportunity to lead, to invest and to thrive.”

The National Stock Exchange of India signs the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) at the event. Photo: Courtesy of the NSE

A key milestone of the event was the NSE’s signing of the Women’s Empowerment Principles, reinforcing the commitment of market leaders to advance gender equality across workplaces, marketplaces and communities.

The event also featured a panel discussion on “Women’s Leadership in Corporate and Financial Markets: Driving Inclusive Growth,” which brought together leaders from financial institutions, the corporate sector and development partners, including the EU. Speakers emphasized that gender-diverse leadership strengthens corporate governance, improves decision-making, and contributes to more resilient and inclusive economies.

Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Director General and CEO, IICA, delivers a special address. Photo: Courtesy of the NSE

Underscoring the importance of translating commitments into action, the event also reaffirmed the importance of collaboration between financial markets, policymakers and the private sector in advancing women’s entrepreneurship and leadership, a critical key to unlocking inclusive and sustainable economic growth.