Grandfather’s Forgotten Investment: Rs 500 Share Becomes ₹3.75 Lakh

Chandigarh: A pediatric surgeon in Chandigarh, Tanmay Motiwala, made a surprising discovery while sorting through family belongings. He stumbled upon old share certificates worth Rs 500, purchased by his grandfather from the State Bank of India (SBI) in 1994. These long-forgotten shares, never sold, had grown significantly in value.

Motiwala found that the once inexpensive shares were now worth a remarkable Rs. 3.75 lakh, representing a staggering 750-fold increase over nearly 30 years. This impressive growth highlights the potential of long-term equity investments to generate substantial returns.

Sharing his story online, Motiwala expressed his surprise and joy at the find. Neither he nor his grandparents could recall why the shares were purchased or even remembered owning them. His post sparked interest in the current value of the shares, excluding any dividends earned, emphasizing the immense appreciation from the original investment.

To convert the physical certificates into a digital format, Motiwala sought help from a financial advisor due to the complex and time-consuming process. Discrepancies in names, addresses, and signatures can create challenges during dematerialization, but with professional guidance, most of the certificates were successfully converted.