Chaudhuri May Lead India’s Largest Bank as Rival ICICI Expands

State Bank of India, the nation’s biggest lender, is poised to name 36-year veteran Pratip Chaudhuri as chairman as competition from rivals including ICICI Bank Ltd. intensifies.  Deputy Managing Director Chaudhuri, 57, was the only person recommended to a cabinet committee tasked with selecting the head of the state-controlled bank, a finance ministry official said on March 11, declining to be identified before an official announcement. Chaudhuri didn’t return three telephone calls to his office in Mumbai.  Chaudhuri’s task of boosting shareholder returns at the 205-year-old lender may be hampered by state control that gives private-sector rivals an edge in mobile and Internet banking.                                     Bloomberg.com