Pratip Chaudhuri, deputy managing director of the largest lender of the country, State Bank of India is likely to hold the position of the next Chairman of the bank after O P Bhatt retires in March 2011.

Chaudhuri has been selected by the finance ministry for this post. The ministry has been carrying out interviews to select SBI Chief since quite some time now.

Chaudhuri is currently looking after international business wing of SBI. The selection committee selected Hemant Contractor as the second choice for the post. Contractor is currently appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the bank.

Chaudhuri is credited with successfully working on the amalgamation of the State Bank of Saurashtra with SBI. He joined SBI as a probationary officer in 1974 and has been holding his current position since April 2009.