New Delhi, Aug. 31 -- India's Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. has recommended two internal candidates to succeed Chief Executive Ashok Vaswani when his term ends next year, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The private lender, India's fourth-largest private bank, has submitted the names of executive directors Anup Saha and Paritosh Kashyap to the Reserve Bank of India for approval, the sources said.

The recommendations represent the first step in choosing a successor to Vaswani, who said he would not seek reappointment when his term ends on December 31, 2026, citing personal reasons.

The appointment will be closely watched as Kotak Mahindra Bank under the leadership of Vaswani had set its sights on becoming India's third-larg...