Who serves as the non-executive chairman of HDFC Bank, one of India's leading private sector banks?

Introduction / Context:
HDFC Bank is one of India's largest private sector banks and a key player in the banking and financial services sector. In general awareness and banking exams, questions often distinguish between the chairman of the board and the managing director or chief executive officer. This question specifically asks about the non-executive chairman of HDFC Bank.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The institution in question is HDFC Bank, not HDFC Limited or another financial entity.
• The role is chairman, which is a board level position, typically non-executive.
• The options include Aditya Puri, Deepak Parekh, Shikha Sharma and Amitabh Chaudhary.
• We assume the time period when Aditya Puri was MD and CEO of HDFC Bank and Deepak Parekh served as chairman of HDFC group entities, including association with the bank.

Concept / Approach:
Aditya Puri became widely known as the long-serving managing director and chief executive officer of HDFC Bank. Deepak Parekh, on the other hand, is a prominent banker and the long-time chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) and associated with the overall HDFC group as chairman. In exam material covering this period, Deepak Parekh is identified as chairman, while Aditya Puri is clearly described as MD and CEO of HDFC Bank.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the question is about the non-executive chairman, not the managing director.Step 2: Recall that Aditya Puri is known mainly for his role as MD and CEO of HDFC Bank.Step 3: Identify Deepak Parekh as the senior banker who is chairman within the HDFC group.Step 4: Check the options and match this information to Deepak Parekh.Step 5: Choose Deepak Parekh as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Banking awareness materials and general knowledge compilations for the relevant exam period list Aditya Puri separately as MD and CEO of HDFC Bank and Deepak Parekh as chairman. This distinction appears consistently, reducing ambiguity about who holds which role.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Aditya Puri: He served as managing director and chief executive officer, not as the non-executive chairman.
• Shikha Sharma: She was associated with Axis Bank as MD and CEO, not with HDFC Bank's chairmanship.
• Amitabh Chaudhary: He became MD and CEO of Axis Bank, and is not the chairman of HDFC Bank.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse designations across banks, especially between chairman and managing director roles. Another common error is mixing up leadership positions across different private sector banks. A good strategy is to memorise pairs like “Deepak Parekh – HDFC group chairman” and “Aditya Puri – HDFC Bank MD and CEO” for the period in question.

Final Answer:
The non-executive chairman associated with HDFC Bank is Deepak Parekh.