Arundhati Bhattacharya was appointed chairperson of State Bank of India (SBI) on Monday. Bhattacharya is the first woman to head SBI.

According to Financial Express, an SBI statement this evening said Bhattacharya assumed charge as the chairperson of the bank today, succeeding Pratip Chaudhuri who retired on September 30. She has held various positions including Deputy Managing Director and Corporate Development Officer, Chief General Manager of the Bangalore circle and new businesses and head of its merchant banking arm, SBI Caps, the statement said.

She also had a stint at the bank's New York office as the head of external audit and correspondent relations, SBI said. Her appointment comes at a time when the government is all set to open the country's first bank dedicated for women, Bhartiya Mahila Bank.

The report says that Bhattacharya joined SBI as a probationary officer in 1977 and has had stints in areas such as retail, treasury and corporate finance during her 36-year career.

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