O. P. Bhatt
Om Prakash Bhatt | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 7, 1951 Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Known for | Chairman of State Bank of India (2006–2011) |
Om Prakash Bhatt (born 7 March 1951) is a distinguished Indian banker who held the position of Chairman of State Bank of India from June 2006 until 31 March 2011. Presently, he functions as an independent board member for several prominent 'Maharatna' Central Public Sector Enterprises, including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), Tata Steel Ltd, and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL).
On 25 November 2016, Bhatt was named interim chairman of Tata Steel, succeeding Cyrus Mistry. Following the appointment of N. Chandrasekaran as Chairman in 2017, he continued his role as an independent director. In March 2023, the Supreme Court designated him as part of a committee tasked with examining matters related to the US short-seller Hindenburg’s report concerning the Adani Group.
Early life
Born in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on 7 March 1951, Om Prakash Bhatt was a National Science Talent Search Scholar specializing in Physics at DAV College, Dehradun. He further pursued higher education by obtaining an MA in English Literature from Meerut University. His career background includes a tenure as Chief General Manager overseeing the North-East Circle.
Career
O. P. Bhatt initiated his banking career in 1972 as a probationary officer at SBI. From January 2005 to April 2006, he served as Managing Director of State Bank of Travancore, during which time he notably advanced the North-East Circle from the lowest to the top rank while acting as Chief General Manager.
Bhatt assumed the Chairmanship of SBI in June 2006 and completed an uncommon full five-year term ending in March 2011. His leadership is credited with revitalizing SBI by boosting operational efficiency and competitiveness through a robust marketing and operational approach.
Additionally, he was Chairman of the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) during 2010–11 and holds a position as an independent Director at Tata Consultancy Services.