"If somebody offers you advice, please listen to it, so you can do better. Everybody has got new things to learn from somebody," says a humble and down-to-earth Ajay Banga, the Chairman & CEO (global operations), Citibank. And true to the spirit of his words, Banga has learnt that humility comes to those who understand the real meaning of success. Not surprisingly, the meteoric rise of this 45-year-old Indian professional has not only made India proud but has also stunned the corporate world. For a man as young as he, it was not an easy feat, but Banga, by his sheer determination, hard work and perseverance has made to the top post.

Today, he is the most senior Indian American manager at Citigroup, the world's largest financial company. Born at Khadki, near Pune and coming from a military background, as his father was in the Army, Banga had his education on various parts of India including Secunderabad, Jalandhar, Delhi, Hyderabad and in Shimla. He later went to do his bachelor's degree in economics from St Stephens College in Delhi and his MBA from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad. Known for his open-minded approach and transparency in his work, Banga launched his glorious career as a management trainee with Nestle in 1981. He spent the next 13 years in a variety of assignments spanning sales, marketing and general management.

He later joined PepsiCo, in its Restaurants Division and was instrumental in the launch of Pizza Hut and KFC in India. It was only in 1996 that Banga joined Citigroup and since then he hasn't looked back. Working as business head for CitiFinancial and the US Consumer Assets Division, Banga served as Division Executive for the Consumer Bank in Central/Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Always on the move and a staunch believer in making the world his place, Banga also served as the Head of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region.

A member of Citigroup's Management Committee and the Global Consumer Group's Planning Committee, today more than 40,000 people worldwide report to Banga in a company that makes three-and-a-half billion dollars each year. In fact, Banga's multi-faceted talent seems to have crossed all human limitations. Not to mention his professional responsibilities, he is also a member of the Financial Services Roundtable, New York Hall of Science, the National Council on Economic Education and The Enterprise Foundation and this year, he joined Kraft Foods' Board of Directors. Seeing Banga's committment to support National Urban League (NUL)'s mission to empower African-Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream, NUL elected Banga, to its Board of Trustees. But despite his hectic professional schedule and corporate responsibilities, Banga, who loves to play golf and listens to music, makes it sure to spend time with his wife and kids. No doubt, his sense of balance and proportionality is equally visible in his professional life. And with Banga commanding the Citibank's key business, it can be reiterated - yes, India has arrived globally.