OREANDA-NEWS. March 24, 2011. HDFC Bank, second largest private bank in the country, has won The Asian Banker's 'Best Retail Bank in India' award this year. Beating a host of other competitors in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa on a range of parameters, the Bank has won the 'Best Retail Bank in India' award for the fifth year in a row.

Some of the parameters that winners were measured on:

Outstanding annual performance of the retail banking unit

Sustainability as a franchise over a long period of time and across economic cycles

A well-defined franchise in the chosen marketplace

Transparency and accountability of business model

Ethical banking

Clear sales and execution skills at the product level

Rigorous risk management capabilities

Superior business and operational processes and technology

Strong penetration and efficiency of distribution channels

Focus on developing human resources to support the bank's strategy

Announcing the Asian Banker Excellence awards, the publication has observed in its communication to the company, "HDFC Bank has passed all stringent screening and requirements throughout the Excellence in Retail Financial Services evaluation process and been granted the awards."

The Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services Programme was instituted in 2001 on the premise that an outstanding player in the retail financial services industry should build business franchises that are sustainable, competitive and profitable over a period of time.