In the 1950s, Linton Wimalasena Udagagedara served as the tailoring instructor at the rehabilitation unit of the Bogambara Prison. Known affectionately by all as “Linton Master,” he laid the foundation for a legacy that would eventually redefine men’s fashion in the hill capital.

In 1958, Linton Master ventured into private business by renting a small shop in Trincomalee Street, Kandy, under the name “Linton Master Tailors.”

Supported by a handful of employees and the unwavering strength of his wife, Srima Alwala, the business began its humble journey. In those early days, Linton Master would travel from Kandy to Pettah, Colombo, walking miles to handpick high-quality fabrics at affordable prices. Though the initial years were a struggle, he never compromised on quality.

Due to his commitment to superior craftsmanship and impeccable finishing, “Linton Master’s Shop” in Trincomalee Street soon became a household name across the Kandy region. By the 1970s, the thriving business moved to Yatinuwara Veediya. As the enterprise grew, Linton Master eventually purchased the rented building and the adjacent premises. In the 1990s, the brand reached its zenith, becoming a hallmark of excellence.

Following the passing of Linton Master in 2009, the business transitioned into a new era. Today, it stands proud at the same familiar location in Yatinuwara Veediya, rebranded as “Linton & Sons Master Tailors.” His legacy is carried forward by his children; while one son manages a printing press and a daughter runs a bridal wear brand under the Linton name, his son Nidarshana Udagagedara has significantly expanded the core tailoring business.

Today, Kandy is home to three main institutions bearing the prestigious Linton brand. Linton & Sons Master Tailors, now employing around 20 skilled professionals, is a nationally recognized name. Known for their international standards, it is said that anyone who gets a full suit tailored at Linton & Sons invariably returns for their second.

The business that once started with fabric handpicked from Pettah now utilizes world-renowned international brands. Linton & Sons is currently the only tailor shop in Kandy that creates garments using prestigious fabrics such as Raymonds, Pacific Gold, Medici, and Macone.

Current Chairman Nidarshana Udagagedara notes that they serve a loyal customer base, with complete groom’s suit packages ranging from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 90,000. With a highly experienced team, they now offer an exclusive one-day service, allowing customers to have bespoke designs created to their exact specifications in record time.

Spanning seven decades, the Linton lineage, which has brought fame to Kandy, has now successfully expanded from the second generation to the third, ensuring that the master’s stitch continues to define elegance for years to come.

By S.K. Samaranayake

At the prestigious Architect 2026 Exhibition, LANKATILES unveiled an immersive Concept Studio of contemporary design, where every surface spoke in allusive ways of exquisite craftsmanship and architectural vision.

Among a host of outstanding participants, the Concept Studio was recognized with two of the exhibition’s highest accolades: Overall Best Stall and Best Trade Stall Displaying Local Products. This is a resounding testament to five decades of trust, quality, and innovation.

The Concept Studio was thoughtfully zoned to evoke the ambiance of curated interiors and sophisticated entryways, unveiling the latest designs introduced to the market. Visitors were guided through a seamless spatial journey, beginning with the Living Zone, where expansive surfaces harmonized durability with refined design to elevate everyday living. The Kitchen Ambience Zone presented a contemporary culinary environment enriched with elegant finishes, demonstrating how functionality and elevated aesthetics coexist in modern homes.

The experience continued into the Bedroom Zone, an intimate and serene setting curated with soothing palettes and luxurious surfaces to create a tranquil retreat defined by comfort and understated elegance. Complementing this was the Bathware Zone — a sanctuary of calm showcasing precision-crafted porcelain surfaces that seamlessly blended purity of form with superior performance, redefining modern bathroom sophistication.

Extending beyond interiors, the Poolside Zone highlighted elegant outdoor settings framed by resilient, high-performance tiles, where aesthetic excellence met enduring strength in expressive interpretations of contemporary luxury. Featuring the latest Mosaic designs alongside the grand large-format tile series, Majestica, each zone illustrated how LANKATILES transforms raw materials into architectural poetry, reinforcing its leadership in innovation and design excellence.

Another defining feature of the Concept Studio was the AI-powered Tile Visualizer; an advanced digital interface designed to offer architects and homeowners an intelligent and immersive visualization experience that redefines the way interiors are selected and conceptualized. Within minutes, users can upload an image of their dream space and instantly explore precisely matched tile designs and colour palettes tailored to their aesthetic preferences.

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon achieved another performance milestone in 2025, becoming the first private sector bank in the country to expand its loan book beyond Rs. 2 Tn., with a growth of Rs. 541 Bn. over 12 months at a monthly average of over Rs. 45 Bn., demonstrating its commitment to national economic resurgence.

Recording the highest annual loan growth in absolute terms in the history of the institution, the Bank said gross loans and advances for the year ending 31st December 2025 grew by 36.37% to Rs. 2.028 Tn., taking total assets to Rs. 3.258 Tn. This reflected an increase of Rs. 468 Bn. or 16.78% and demonstrated more than double the growth recorded in 2024. The Bank’s net assets value per share improved to Rs. 198.30 from Rs. 170.94 at end 2024.

Deposits grew by 16.65% or Rs. 372 Bn. over the 12 months to end the year at Rs. 2.6 Tn., reflecting an average deposit growth of over Rs. 30 Bn. per month despite relatively lower interest rates, the Bank said. The CASA ratio of the Bank, which is considered to be the industry’s best, stood at 39.65% from 38.07% as at 31st December 2024.

Commenting on the Bank’s performance in 2025, Mr Sharhan Muhseen, Chairman of Commercial Bank said: “We remain focused on the fundamentals that sustain shareholder value: earnings resilience, balance sheet strength, disciplined risk management and a strategy that is responsive to evolving customer and market needs. Our 2025 performance affirms the value of that focus.”

Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank said: “In 2025, we proved that scale and discipline can move together, growing lending and accelerating digital activity while strengthening asset quality and balance sheet resilience. This is how we build durable value, supporting productive growth without compromising governance and risk standards.”

In a filing with the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) the Bank said it recorded gross income of Rs. 354.81 Bn. for the year ending 31st December 2025 reflecting growth of 13.70% over the normalised figure for 2024, after adjusting for the impacts of restructuring of Sri Lanka International Sovereign Bonds (SLISBs) accommodated in that year, in order to avoid potential distortion of growth figures. Net gains / (losses) from derecognition of financial assets in the Income Statement for 2024 (as reported) included a derecognition loss on restructuring of SLISBs amounting to Rs. 45.108 Bn.

On the same basis, interest income for the 12 months grew by 8.91% to Rs. 293.61 Bn. helped by substantial growth in the Bank’s loan book. Interest expenses grew by a nominal 1.47% to Rs. 157.32 Bn., enabling the Bank to post a net interest income of Rs. 136.29 Bn., an increase of 18.97%.

The Bank reported net fee and commission income of Rs. 27.50 Bn. for the year, an improvement of 22.05%, with increased income from credit and debit card-related services and commission income from loans & advances and deposits related services as the main contributors to this growth. Other income grew by 119.77% to Rs. 20.24 Bn. after adjusting for the impact of Rs. 45.108 Bn. on debt restructuring on the 2024 figure. Net other operating income including exchange profit on revaluation of assets and liabilities increased by 134.43% to Rs. 17.16 Bn. from the normalised 2024 figure of Rs. 7.32 Bn.

Total operating income improved by 81.87% to Rs. 184.03 Bn. and the Bank’s impairment charges and other losses amounted to Rs. 22.51 Bn. for the year under review. In 2024, the Bank increased its provisioning for impairment on a prudential basis for loans and advances, as a consequence of which impairment charges for 2025 reflected a drop of 19.33% over the previous year’s normalised figure of Rs. 27.90 Bn. Impairment charges and other losses for 2024 included a reversal of Rs. 87.215 Bn. on restructuring of SLISBs (as reported).

As a result, the Bank posted a net operating income of Rs. 161.52 Bn. for the 12 months, an improvement of 36.42% over the normalised figure for 2024. Operating expenses, at Rs. 54.59 Bn., increased by only 9.94% due to prudent cost management initiatives, resulting in operating profit before taxes on financial services growing by a noteworthy 55.55% to Rs. 106.93 Bn. over the normalised figure for 2024.