Samarium doped sodium bismuth silicate glass was synthesized using the melt quenching method. Detailed op- tical spectroscopic studies of the glassy material were carried out in the UV–Vis-NIR spectral range. Using the op- tical absorption spectra Judd-Ofelt (JO) parameters are derived. The calculated values of the JO parameters are utilized in evaluating the various radiative parameters such as electric dipole line strengths (Sed), radiative tran- sition probabilities (Arad), radiative lifetimes (τrad), fluorescence branching ratios (β) and the integrated absorp- tion cross- sections (σa) for stimulated emission from various excited states of Sm3+‡ ion. The principal fluorescence transitions are identified by recording the fluorescence spectrum. Our analysis revealed that the novel glassy system has the optimum values for the key parameters viz. spectroscopic quality factor, optical gain, stimulated emission cross section and quantum efficiency, which are required for a high performance opti- cal amplifier. Calculated chromaticity co-ordinates (0.61, 0.38) also confirm its application potential in display devices.