Banking in India originated in the late 18th century with the Bank of Hindustan and General Bank of India. The oldest and largest bank still in existence is the State Bank of India, which originated from the Bank of Bengal and later merged with the Bank of Bombay and Bank of Madras to form the Imperial Bank of India. In 1955 it became the State Bank of India. The government nationalized many banks in 1969 and they remain under government ownership as public sector undertakings. The modern Indian banking sector includes public sector banks, private sector banks, foreign banks, regional rural banks, urban cooperative banks and state cooperative banks.