Business
Seylan Bank celebrates Seylan Tikiri Children’s Month for 9th consecutive year
Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, began celebrating a month dedicated for children coinciding with World Children’s Day with “Tikiri World Children’s Month” 8 years ago, marking the beginning of a special journey for children. “Tikiri World Children’s Month” stands out as the longest-running program in the financial services industry of Sri Lanka. Since its inception, thousands of children have joined in the festivities throughout the month from around the island.
Seylan Bank proactively introduced digital solutions for customer needs when the country first went into an islandwide lockdown and ‘Seylan Tikiri’ became an active digital platform for its young customers during travel restrictions. Preparations are in full swing to celebrate Children’s Month this year as the Bank is set out to carry exciting digital competitions through its social media channels to empower and reward Tikiri Achievers for showcasing their many talents while improving their academic and self-development skills.
Our children have been compelled to follow online education, away from their schools and extra-curricular activities for nearly two years due to the pandemic. The need for a specialised process to relieve their young minds of the stress they are constantly under is felt very strongly. Team Seylan understood this and introduced a wide array of digital activities such as ‘Tikiri Lockdown Diary’, ‘Tikiri Digital Avurudu’, ‘Tikiri Vesak Pathuma’, ‘Tikiri Champ’, ‘Storytelling’ and many others to keep the spirits of their little customers high and excited during these difficult times.
Seylan Tikiri is the number one Children’s Savings Account in the market and has always worked towards recognizing children’s talents through promotional programs while supporting them to develop their skills. Keeping true to this; this year, throughout the month of October, Seylan Bank has made all necessary arrangements to host a special digital tournament through their social media channels. The tournament will include fancy dress competitions, drawing competitions and many others with the winners set to receive valuable monetary rewards. Their talents will be on display on Seylan Bank’s social media channels. Parents and well-wishers are invited to witness and encourage the children and be a part of their journey.
This year, as a value addition to the little account holders, Seylan Bank will be handing out special ‘data gifts’ for children who make Seylan Tikiri deposits during the “Tikiri World Children’s Month”. Accordingly, data packages will be gifted to those who deposit Rs. 15,000 in an existing or newly opened Seylan Tikiri Children’s Savings Account during this month. Throughout the year Seylan Bank plans to bring forth many entertaining digital programs for their youngest customers. For more information on the product and benefits customers can visit www.seylan.lk or call 011 2 00 88 88 to speak to a Seylan Bank Representative.
Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, operates with a vision to offer the ultimate banking experience to its valued customers through cutting-edge technology, innovative products, and best-in-class services. The Bank has a growing clientele of SMEs, Retail and Corporate Customers, and has expanded its footprint with 172 branches, 70 Cash Deposit Machines, 86 Cheque Deposit Machines and an ATM network of 216 units across the country. Seylan Bank has been endorsed as a financially stable organization with performance excellence across the board by Fitch Ratings, with the bank’s national long-term rating revised to ‘A’ (lka). The bank was ranked second among public listed companies for transparency in corporate reporting by Transparency Global and is now part of the S&P Dow Jones SL 20 Index. These achievements are a testament to Seylan Bank’s financial stability and unwavering dedication to ensuring excellence across all aspects.
The inaugural Sri Lanka Fintech Summit 2025 concluded with industry leaders and regulators establishing two critical national priorities: a bold target to reduce physical cash usage and a push for consolidated regulatory oversight.
In a key decision, participants set a clear three-year goal to lower the ratio of cash in circulation to GDP from 4.5% to 3.5%. The strategy will focus on digitizing high-cash sectors like transport, utilities, and SME payments, while expanding digital access through post offices and cooperatives.
For the long-term health of the ecosystem, stakeholders agreed to lobby for the creation of a single, unified regulatory authority dedicated to fintech oversight. This aims to streamline approvals and provide clearer guidance for innovators.
“Our members needed to leave with concrete action points,” said Channa de Silva, Chairman of the Fintech Forum, Sri Lanka. The summit, designed as a series of closed-door roundtables with regulators including the Central Bank, produced actionable frameworks. “It was about defining KPIs, setting targets, and giving the industry a shared direction,” de Silva explained.
The outcomes signal a concerted shift from discussion to execution, aiming to build a more inclusive, efficient, and secure digital financial economy for Sri Lanka.
By Sanath Nanayakkare ✍️
A new force in Sri Lanka’s food industry, Kukus Group, is gaining momentum with a clear vision to deliver authentic cuisine, high hygiene standards, and affordability. Founded by young entrepreneurs Nadeera Senanayaka, Lakmini Gurusinghe, and Randila Gunasinghe, the group has successfully launched its pilot outlet and is now preparing for a significant nationwide expansion.
The inaugural in Kotte has served as a successful proof of concept. Operating for five months, this modern street-food outlet has garnered a strong customer response, confirming market demand and providing the confidence to fund the group’s ambitious growth strategy.
The inaugural in Kotte
“The positive reception has been overwhelming and has solidified our plans,” said Lakmini Gurusinghe and Randila Gunasinghe. “Our Kotte outlet is the operational model we will replicate – ensuring consistent quality, disciplined operations, and excellent service across all future locations.”
The group’s expansion strategy is built on three distinct thematic brands:
Kukus Street: Targeting young urban customers, these outlets offer a vibrant, casual dining experience with a menu of Sri Lankan rice and curry, kottu, snacks, and BBQ, with most meals priced under Rs. 1,500. Services include dine-in, takeaway, and delivery.
Kukus Beach: Planned for coastal areas, beginning in the South, this concept will feature an urban-style beach restaurant and pub designed for relaxed social dining.
Kukus Bioscope: Celebrating Sri Lanka’s cinematic heritage, this dedicated restaurant concept will create a nostalgic cultural space inspired by the golden eras of Sinhala cinema, with the first outlet slated for Colombo.
The immediate plan includes transforming the flagship Kotte location into Kukus Pub & Bar, pending regulatory approvals. The long-term vision is to develop 18 outlets nationwide: 10 Kukus Street locations, 5 Kukus Beach venues, and 3 Kukus Bioscope establishments.
“Kukus Group is more than a hospitality brand; it’s a celebration of Sri Lankan flavors and culture,” the founders concluded. “Our mission is to build trusted, recognizable brands that connect deeply with communities and offer lasting cultural value alongside authentic cuisine. We are dynamic and excited to proceed with this strategic expansion,” they said.
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Fcode Labs marked its seventh anniversary by hosting its annual Awards Night 2025 at Waters Edge, celebrating team achievements and reinforcing its organizational values.
The event featured keynote addresses from Co-Founders & CEOs Buddhishan Manamperi and Tharindu Malawaraarachchi, who reflected on the company’s annual progress and future strategy. Chief Operating Officer Pamaljith Harshapriya outlined operational priorities for the next phase of growth.
Awards were presented across three key categories. Prabhanu Gunaweera and Dushan Pramod received Customer Excellence awards for partner collaboration. Performance Excellence awards were granted to Munsira Mansoor, Thusara Wanigathunga, Thushan De Silva, Adithya Narasinghe, Avantha Dissanayake, Amanda Janmaweera, Sithika Guruge, and Sandali Gunawardena. The Value-Based Behaviour awards were given to Thilina Hewagama, Udara Sembukuttiarachchi, and Kavindu Dhananjaya for exemplifying company values.
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