Imperial Bank of India Bank of India performed all the normal functions which a commercial bank was expected to perform. In the absence of any central banking institution in India until 1935, the Imperial Bank of India also performed a number of functions which are normally carried out by a central bank. The Reserve Bank of India, which is the Central bank of India, in the year 1955, acquired a controlling interest in the Imperial Bank of India, and the Imperial Bank of India was renamed on 30 April 1955 to the State Bank of India. This transformation from the Imperial Bank of India
Reserve Bank of India, South Zonal Office Bank of India Act, 1934 (II of 1934). The bank began its operations by taking over from the government the functions so far being performed by the Controller of Currency and from the Imperial Bank of India, the management of government accounts and public debt. The Central Office of the Reserve Bank, where the governor sits and where policies are formulated, was initially established in Calcutta but was permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937. The existing currency offices at Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Rangoon, Karachi, Lahore and Cawnpore (Kanpur) became branches of the Issue Department. Offices of the Banking Department were