The State Bank of India (SBI) is one of the largest and oldest banks in India, playing a crucial role in the country’s banking sector. Over the years, it has seen several distinguished chairpersons who have led the bank through various phases of growth and transformation. In this article, you will get to know about the notable personalities who served the position of chairman of State Bank of India.
State Bank of India (SBI), headquartered in Mumbai, is India’s largest bank, holding a 23% market share by assets and 25% of total loans and deposits. As a major public sector bank, it ranks 47th globally by assets and 221st in the Fortune Global 500 (2020). In 2023, it was 77th in the Forbes Global 2000, employing nearly 250,000 people.
The chairperson of the State Bank of India (SBI) is the chief executive officer and ex-officio chair of the bank’s Central Board of Directors. As India’s largest scheduled commercial bank, SBI has had twenty-seven chairpersons since its establishment in 1955 by the government of India. This position is crucial for overseeing the bank’s operations, strategic direction, and maintaining its status as a leading financial institution.
John Matthai served as the first chairperson of the State Bank of India from July 1, 1955, to September 30, 1956. An accomplished economist, Matthai was also Independent India’s first Railway Minister and later became the Finance Minister, taking office shortly after the presentation of India’s first Budget in 1948. His tenure at SBI marked the bank’s transition from the Imperial Bank of India.
Dinesh Kumar Khara (born August 28, 1961) is a career banker and the current chairperson of the State Bank of India. He assumed this position on October 7, 2020, and is set to serve until August 28, 2024. Khara’s extensive experience in banking has been instrumental in steering SBI through a period of significant digital transformation and growth.
Here is a list of former chairpersons of the State Bank of India from 1955 to 2024, showcasing the leadership that has guided India’s largest public sector bank through decades of growth, transformation, and modernization.
| Former Chairpersons of State Bank of India (SBI) | |||
| S. No. | Name | Tenure | |
| From | To | ||
| 1. | John Mathai | 1st July 1955 | 30th September 1956 |
| 2. | H.V.R. Iengar | 1st October 1956 | 28th February 1957 |
| 3. | P.C. Bhattacharya | 1st March 1957 | 28th February 1961 |
| 4. | Borra Venkatappaiah | 1st March 1962 | 28th February 1965 |
| 5. | V.T. Dehejia | 01st March 1965 | 28th February 1969 |
| 6. | Raj Kumar Talwar | 01st March 1969 | 03rd August 1976 |
| 7. | T.R. Varadachary | 04th August 1976 | 30th April 1977 |
| 8. | P.C.D. Nambiar | 23rd May 1977 | 13th December 1982 |
| 9. | V.S. Natarajan | 20th December 1982 | 30th January 1983 |
| 10. | R.P. Goyal | 31st January 1983 | 30th November 1983 |
| 11. | Vishwanath N. Nadkarni | 01st December 1983 | 27th July 1984 |
| 12. | D.N. Ghosh | 13th May 1985 | 12th May 1989 |
| 13. | Atal V. | 15th January 1990 | 17th February 1990 |
| 14. | M.N. Goiporia | 19th February 1990 | 31st July 1992 |
| 15. | Dipankar Basu | 25th February 1993 | 31st August 1995 |
| 16. | P.G. Kakodkar | 01st October 1995 | 31st March 1997 |
| 17. | M.S. Verma | 01st April 1997 | 30th September 1998 |
| 18. | M.P. Radhakrishnan | 01st December 1998 | 31st January 1999 |
| 19. | G.G. Vaidya | 01 February 1999 | 31st October 2000 |
| 20. | Janki Vallabh | 01st November 2000 | 31st October 2002 |
| 21. | Arun Kumar Purwar | 13th November 2002 | 31st May 2006 |
| 22. | O.P. Bhatt | 01st July 2006 | 06th April 2011 |
| 23. | Pratip Chaudhari | 07th April 2011 | 30th September 2013 |
| 24. | Arundhati Bhattacharya | 01st October 2013 | 06th October 2017 |
| 25. | Rajnish Kumar | 07th October 2017 | 06th October 2020 |
| 26. | Dinesh Kumar Khara | 07th October 2020 | Incumbent |
The current chairperson of SBI is Dinesh Kumar Khara. He has been serving in this role since October 7, 2020.
The first chairperson of SBI was John Matthai, who served from July 1, 1955, to September 30, 1956.
Arundhati Bhattacharya was the first female chairperson of SBI, serving from October 1, 2013, to October 6, 2017.
Raj Kumar Talwar holds the record for the longest-serving chairperson of SBI, with a tenure from March 1, 1969, to August 3, 1976.
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