Kolkata: City-headquartered Bandhan Bank on Sunday became the first universal private bank in eastern India to begin its journey post independence with 1.43 crore accounts in place and a loan book of Rs.10,500 crore backed by capital of Rs.2,570 crore.

Bank founder and managing director Chandra Sekhar Ghosh - son of a sweet shop owner in Tripura's Bishalgarh - said its capital infusion is much higher than the Reserve Bank of India's licensing norms which stipulate Rs.500 crore capital for new banks.