“Be it the blue chip or penny stocks, there is not a nook that seems to be out of bounds for them. Some of them even walk in with interest of learning the market and later turn as investors,” says Ashok Agarwal, an officials of Ashika Stock Broking Ltd.

Richeek Ganguly, regional head of Net Worth Stock Broking Ltd, who has been in this profession for the past 19 years says, “People have become more conscious about investment policies, facts of Sensex and the variety in stock broking. There are so many websites that give information of share market with some even letting trade online.”

RATAN RAY
Ratan, a computer science student is currently in the third year of his diploma course. This student of Calcutta Technical Institute has developed an active interest in investments and share marketing — an interest that has been growing ever since he began learning the basics of the market through newspapers and television channels immediately after his class 10 exams. His first investment was Rs 5,000 and there has been no looking back. He has been investing the money that he earns from giving tuitions and saving pocket money, and today he has Rs 13,000 invested in the market. His schoolteacher, parents have all been supportive of his interests.

PRALOY SHANKAR ROY
Influenced by his professor, this third-year student began investing in the stock market. As a young boy, Praloy used to hear his seniors talk about the share market but could not understand anything. By the time he took his class 12 examinations, he began to grasp matters better, due to his commerce background. Last month, he made his first investment — Rs 6,000. Apart from his earnings by teaching tuitions, Praloy does a part-time job at a hardware company. Though he is still an amateur and the market is down now, Roy is excited about his new venture.

SUDIPTO MUKHERJEE
Sudipto, a student in his twenties, had begun investing when he was in his second year. He was quick to pick up the rules and his friends and neighbours started asking him for tips. When they started making money, he decided to enter the market himself with the money he got from giving tuitions to children. Mukherjee reckons he is an expert now, and even voices his preferences— small- and mid-cap stocks.
Besides students, there are homemakers who have been showing an equally keen interest in the share bazaar.

DURBA SEN
This 40-year-old homemaker has turned to the stock market to increase her savings.
For Durba, TV soaps come at the bottom of her listing. Instead she prefers to watch business channels and read newspapers.
Net-savvy Durba also checks the market updates online and company information regularly. You might also catch her reading books written on stock markets.
Initially, Durba invested Rs 2 lakh and now, despite the occasional losses, she is determined to carry on with the passion, as it lets her do something constructive during the time her family are not at home.