Business
Dilmah Tea and Kahawatte Plantations donate Rs. 25 mn. High Dependency Care Unit to Nawalapitiya General Hospital
Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka – The Merrill J. Fernando High Dependency Care Facility was inaugurated on August 16 at the, Nawalapitiya District General Hospital. The facility, costing nearly Rs. 25 mn., was funded by Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company Plc and its associate Kahawatte Plantations Plc with the facilitation of the MJF Charitable Foundation, Dilmah announced.
Named after the Ceylon Teamaker who devoted his life to tea, the facility will provide specialised medical care for the predominantly tea estate workers in Nawalapitiya, also serving the Central Province, a news release said.
District General Hospital Nawalapitiya (DGHN) currently provides healthcare services for 500,000 people from the surrounding tea estates, and adjacent Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts. Current hospital capacity is not sufficient to accommodate demand, especially pandemic related patient surges.
“The 680-strong staff at DGHN were treated to lunch alongside the opening, in appreciation of their dedication. A broader, regional food & nutrition programme is being formulated with details to be announced shortly,” the release said.
“The High Dependency Unit is housed in a structure that has been comprehensively refurbished to expand DGHN’s clinical care capacity and strengthen its COVID 19 response. The benefit from the unit will go beyond the pandemic in strengthening the hospital’s capacity to care for high risk patients. The HDU includes the most advanced medical equipment and respiratory support systems to manage patients with severe COVID-19 and other respiratory ailments.”
“We are grateful for the efforts of Dilmah’s MJF Foundation and Kahawatte Plantations. A comprehensive HDU is a timely need for the hospital in the management of COVID 19 patients who suffer from respiratory distress. This will expand our capacity to save lives closer to their source without having to transfer patients and serve the needs of our population locally” said Dr. M. Nihal Weerasooriya, Provincial Director of Health Services in the Central Province.
Dilmah Tea Company PLC Kahawatte Plantations PLC and Package Care Ltd, – all part of the MJF Group – collaborated with the Provincial Health Services in the Central Province to support this initiative. This ensured quick, cost-effective and efficient refurbishment of the facility, procurement and installation of specialized equipment.
The HDU at DGHN is part of a wider Dilmah – MJF Foundation programme overhaul for the plantation sector. The Foundation was established by its Settlor, Merrill J. Fernando to use earnings from his Dilmah Tea business to serve humanity. Its activities in the tea plantation sector include emergency relief for families in COVID related distress, study support, entrepreneurship development, childcare, nutrition, education support and other initiatives related to the general welfare of the workers. Amongst other achievements the MJF Foundation Scholarship programme has produced doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and a magistrate from amongst the children of tea estate workers.
“We face a health crisis of unprecedented magnitude. Every individual and business has an obligation to do what is possible to ease the pain that the pandemic is causing. Our business was formed by my father with the purpose of serving humanity and this Merrill J. Fernando High Dependency Care Unit in Nawalapitiya is a part of the fulfilment of that pledge.” said Dilhan C. Fernando, son of Merrill J. Fernando and CEO of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company.
Dilmah and Kahawatte Plantations continue to support the plantation community, its initiatives range from healthcare and education to livelihoods support, skills training, and infrastructure including housing. In May 2021, a total of SLR 2.3 million was raised and matched twice over by Dilmah’s MJF Charitable Foundation as part of the sector wide Stronger Together Initiative.
The MJF Foundation is funded by its Settlor’s commitment to 15% for Humanity from the pretax profits of Dilmah Tea and ancillary MJF Group companies including Kahawatte Plantations, Package Care Ltd., Forbes & Walker, PrintCare and Resplendent Ceylon.
In addition to its plantations programme, the Foundation has Centres for Empowerment, supporting communities in some of the poorest parts of Sri Lanka with education, vocational training, agricultural entrepreneurship, support for microbusiness, nutrition support, IT Education, and programmes for women, youth and children with disabilities.
The Merrill J. Fernando Foundation has also partnered with MilleniumIT Esp, 99X, Fortude and Microsoft in developing unique disability and teletherapy apps. Prior to the current restrictions the Foundation supported 6,000 people across Sri Lanka daily, with a larger number expected to benefit once pandemic related limitations can be lifted.
Business
Dialog delivers strong growth, stronger national contribution in FY 2025
Dialog Axiata PLC announced, Friday 6th February 2026, its consolidated financial results (Reviewed) for the year ended 31st December 2025. Financial results included those of Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) and of the Dialog Axiata Group (the “Group”).
Group Performance
The Group delivered a strong performance across Mobile, Fixed Line and Digital Pay Television businesses recording a positive Core Revenue growth of 16% Year to Date (“YTD”). Group Headline Revenue reached Rs179.6Bn, up 5% YTD, despite the continued strategic scaling down of low-margin international wholesale business. In Q4 2025, Revenue was recorded at Rs46.5Bn up 2% Quarter-on-Quarter (“QoQ”) and 2% Year-on-Year (“YoY”).
The Group Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (“EBITDA”) reached Rs86.0Bn up 30% YTD supported by Core Revenue performance and Cost Rescaling Initiatives. On a QoQ basis Group EBITDA demonstrated a modest growth to record at Rs23.0Bn up 2% QoQ with an EBITDA margin of 49.5% in line with the Revenue performance. Group EBITDA margin reached 47.9% for FY 2025, up 9.2pp.
Group Net Profit After Tax (“NPAT”) reached Rs20.8Bn for FY 2025, up 67% YTD mainly resulting from robust EBITDA growth, despite higher tax and net finance costs. Normalized for forex impact, NPAT growth was recorded at +>100% YTD to reach Rs22.1Bn. On a QoQ basis NPAT grew 3% to reach Rs5.9Bn resulting from strong EBITDA performance.
On the back of strong operational performance, the Group recorded Operating Free Cash Flow (“OFCF”)
of Rs49.3Bn for FY 2025 up >100% YTD.
Dividend Payment to Shareholders
In line with the dividend policy and financial performance of the Group and taking into account the forward investment requirements to serve the nation’s demand for Broadband and Digital services, the Board of Directors of Dialog Axiata PLC at its meeting held on 6th February 2026, resolved to propose for consideration by the Shareholders of the Company, a dividend to ordinary shareholders amounting to Rs1.50 per share. The said dividend, if approved by shareholders, would translate to a Dividend Yield of 5.0% based on share closing price for FY 2025. The dividend so proposed will be considered for approval by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company, the date pertaining to which would be notified in due course.
Company and Subsidiary Performance
At an entity level, Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) continued to be the primary contributor to Group Revenue (76%) and Group EBITDA (74%). Aided by sustained growth in the Data segment and cost-rescaling initiatives, Company revenue was recorded at Rs135.8Bn for FY 2025, up 18% YTD, EBITDA rose 32% YTD to reach Rs63.6Bn. On a QoQ basis, Q4 2025 Revenue was recorded at Rs34.8Bn, down 1% QoQ due to a reclassification of Hubbing Revenue, while EBITDA decline 1% QoQ to record Rs17.0Bn, largely attributable to network restoration costs and donations made in relation to the Cyclone Ditwah relief efforts. Furthermore, NPAT was recorded at Rs15.6Bn for FY 2025, up 41% YTD. Normalised for forex impacts, the company NPAT was up +>100% YTD to reach Rs17.0Bn. On a QoQ basis, Company NPAT was recorded at Rs4.5Bn, down 6% QoQ.
Business
Ceylinco Life’s Pranama Scholarships reach 25-year milestone
Ceylinco Life has announced the launch of the 25th consecutive edition of its flagship Pranama Scholarships programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-standing commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence among the children of its policyholders.
Under the 2026 programme, the life insurance market leader will present scholarships with a total cumulative value of Rs. 22.7 million, continuing a rewards initiative that has now been conducted without interruption for a quarter of a century. Since its inception, the Ceylinco Life Pranama Scholarships programme has benefitted 3,466 students across the country, representing a total investment of Rs. 240 million in nurturing academic achievement and outstanding performance in sports, arts and other extracurricular pursuits.
Business
Sri Lankans’ artistic genius glowingly manifests at Kala Pola ‘26
The artistic genius of Sri Lankans was amply manifest all over again at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ which was held on February 8th at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha Colombo 7; the usual, teeming and colourful venue for this annual grand exhibition and celebration of the work of local visual artists.
If there is one thing that has flourished memorably and resplendently in Sri Lanka over the centuries it is the artistic capability or genius of its people. It is something that all Sri Lankans could feel a sense of elation over because from the viewpoint of the arts, Sri Lanka is second to no other nation. With regard to the visual arts a veritable dazzling radiance of this inborn and persisting capability is seen at the annual open air ‘Kala Pola’.

A bird of Sri Lanka created from scraps of iron waste.
All capable visual artists, wherever they hail from in Sri Lanka, enjoy the opportunity of exhibiting their work at the ‘Kala Pola’ and this is a distinctive ‘positive’ of this annual event that draws numberless artists and viewers. There was an abundance of paintings, sketches and sculptures, for instance, and one work was as good as the other. Ample and equal space was afforded each artist. Its widely participatory and open nature enables one to describe the exhibition as exuding a profoundly democratic ethos.
Accordingly, this time around at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ too Sri Lankans’ creative efforts were there to be viewed, studied and enjoyed in the customary carnival atmosphere where connoisseurs, local and foreign, met in a sprit of camaraderie and good cheer. Many thanks are owed once again to the George Keyt Foundation for the presentation of the event in association with the John Keells Group and the John Keells Foundation, not forgetting the Nations Trust Bank, which was the event’s Official Banking Partner. The exhibition was officially declared open by Chief Guest Marc-Andre Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.
By Lynn Ockersz
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