Evolution of Indian Banks Banking in India originated in the last decades of the 18th century. •The first bank was The General Bank of India, which started in 1786. •Bank of Hindustan was the 2nd bank, which started in 1790; both are now defunct. •The oldest bank in existence in India is the State Bank of India, which originated in the Bank of Calcutta in June 1806, which almost immediately became the Bank of Bengal. •The period between 1906 and 1911, saw the establishment of banks inspired by the Swadeshi movement. A number of banks established then have survived to the present such as Bank of India, Corporation Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Central Bank of India. •During the First World War (1914–1918) through the end of the Second World War (1939–1945), and two years thereafter until the independence of India were challenging for Indian banking.