Arundhati Bhattacharya, the former Chairperson of State Bank of India (SBI), recently spoke at the launch of 'Aparajita,' which is the Hindi translation of her memoir. During the event in Mumbai, the veteran banker shared honest lessons about her journey to the top of India’s largest public-sector bank. She admitted that even after becoming the first woman to lead SBI, she had to unlearn several deep-rooted assumptions about her colleagues and herself.

One major lesson involved why women officers often avoided rural postings. In the banking sector, a rural stint is usually mandatory for career growth and promotions. Bhattacharya initially thought women were simply reluctant or unwilling to take on these tough assignments. However, a female colleague pointed out the real problem: the lack of safe and suitable housing for single women in villages. Once SBI started providing central accommodation and mess facilities, women officers happily accepted these roles. This taught her that what looks like 'laziness' is often just a lack of basic facilities.

Bhattacharya also touched upon a topic that affects every bank branch today: the gap between senior managers and Gen Z (the youngest generation of workers). Many senior bankers believe that young employees are entitled or do not want to work hard. Bhattacharya called this stereotype 'totally wrong.' Now working in the tech sector with Salesforce, she noted that young people are very resilient. The difference is that they seek a sense of 'purpose' and social impact, rather than just working for a salary slip.

Perhaps her most surprising admission was about unconscious bias (prejudices we have without realizing it). Despite being a woman who fought through a male-dominated industry, she discovered through training that she held her own biases. She realized she was asking different types of questions to male and female candidates during interviews. She emphasized that every candidate must get the same opportunity regardless of gender, and leaders must constantly check their own hidden prejudices.

For bank officers and aspirants, her story is a reminder that leadership is not just about giving orders but about solving problems for your team. She explained that her own career was not planned or guaranteed. She simply focused on doing her current job well and putting 'one foot before the other.' This persistence, combined with the humility to admit when she was wrong, helped her reach the corner office.

Looking ahead, these insights are crucial for the Indian banking sector as it tries to retain young talent and promote more women to senior roles. Bankers should watch how institutions change their policies—like housing or flexible working—to address the actual needs of their staff rather than relying on old assumptions. Bhattacharya’s reflections show that even the most successful leaders never stop learning from their juniors and their mistakes.