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Ten brands making diapers & juices welcome Virat Kohli’s baby, hoping to get him to endorse their products!

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BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, January 16:

Last Monday afternoon, Indian cricket team’s Captain Virat Kohli announced on Twitter that he and his Bollywood actress-wife Anushka Sharma had been blessed with a baby girl.

Moments thereafter, at least 10 consumer companies producing diapers and juices made a dash to be associated with India’s highest paid celebrity, who is possibly the richest cricketer on the planet. His current brand value is $237.5 million, or INR 1,734 million.

Proctoer & Gamble’s Pampers, Tropicana fruit-juice-maker, Pepsi, food delivery platform Zomato, deliversy services company Dunzo, and Liberty Shoes were among those who released advertisements across social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to celebrate the occasion.

Kohli does not endorse any products made by these companies. They are said to be considering signing him on.

A senior executive aware of the development said: Kohli’s management firm has been getting feelers from brands with child-centric products for endorsements even before the birth of the baby.”

While brands he endorses are naturally leveraging the birth of the baby, at least eight to ten other brands want to sign him now, he added.

“Here’s to new roles and a new innings,” P&G’s Pampers said on its social media handles with a short video congratulating the new parents.

“GoodnessComesHome, #ItsAGirl,” PepsiCo’s Tropicana posted on its Instagram handle, with visuals of the “goodness of fruits.”

Dunzo posted a picture of a stork carrying a bundled baby captioned “Just Delivered” on its Instagram and Twitter handles.

Liberty Shoes posted a diagram of baby feet cradled by a pair of hands captioned “Beginning of the Much Awaited Innings” with the Virushka hashtag. (Virushka is a name coined by the media here for Virat (Kohli) and Anushka (Sharma).

Pepsi, which Kohli endorsed until 2017, made a direct reference to its Swag tagline in its social media message “A Swagstar is Born” blended with its logo.

A PepsiCo India spokesman said in an email: Leveraging topicality via fixed and fluid moments is very important to consumers. Moment-marketing fulfils these requirements and helps brands to further create impactful connect and engagement with consumers.”

Prasoon Joshi, chief executive officer of McCann Worldgroup India and chairman Asia-Pacific at McCann, said: For brands, associating with big moments of celebration such as this is aimed to create positive rub-offs on themselves.”

Kohli is India’s most expensive celebrity as far as endorsements go. He charges INR 50 million to INR55 million for a day’s work—much more than what MS Dhoni, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan charge in India, and more than what football icon Lionel Messi, golf superstar Rory McIlroy and Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry abroad.

The 32-year-old’s 17 endorsement deals include Puma, Audi, Manyavar ethnic clothing, Blue Star airconditioning, Himalaya personal care, e-commerce fashion portal Myntra, e-sports platform Mobile Premier League, edtech company Great Learning, Wrogn clothing line, Uber, Boost Energy, MuveAcoustics, and MRF Tyres.



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Dr RAD Jeewantha named most innovative dentist of the year

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Dr Jeewantha receiving the award

Dr. R. A. D. Jeewantha was honoured as the Most Innovative Dentist of the Year at the Business World International Awards, 2025. Organised by the Business World International Organisation, the award ceremony was held recently at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. A graduate of the Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Dr. Jeewantha has built a reputation as one of Sri Lanka’s most respected and forward-thinking dental surgeons. After gaining vital experience in Government hospitals, including the Teaching Hospital in Karapitiya, he also served at a leading private hospital before launching his own practice—Doctor J Premium Dental Care in Delkanda, Nugegoda.

His dental clinic is known for offering advanced, patient-focused treatments in restorative dentistry, cosmetic procedures, and implantology, using state-of-the-art technology. Dr. Jeewantha is especially skilled in dental implants, having completed the American Residency Course in Dental Implantology at Roseman University, accredited by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Dr. Jeewantha holds fellowships from the International College of Continuing Dental Education (FICCDE) and the Pierre Fauchard Academy (USA). His advanced skills include modern root canal treatments using Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) for both surgical and non-surgical procedures.

He has completed international trainings in digital dentistry, full-arch implantology techniques like All-on-Four and Zygomatic Systems, and smile design using digital 3D scans. He has participated in global dental events such as the Asia-Pacific Dental Congress and completed training at institutions including the University of Manchester and North Western State Medical University in Russia. His courses have covered everything from intraoral scanning to managing tooth wear. He has previously received many local and international awards. Dr. Jeewantha also serves the community as a Justice of the Peace for All Island.

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IIHS Foundation in Biological Studies offers fast-track route to global health careers

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The Foundation in Biological Studies at IIHS provides a unique alternative for students looking to fast-track their health careers after their Ordinary Level (O/L) exams. This programme offers a direct route to global health careers, bypassing traditional A/Ls. With over 1,000 students already advancing to universities in Australia, the UK, and Finland, IIHS has positioned the course as a reliable launchpad for careers in fields like medicine, nursing, biomedical sciences, and digital health. “This programme is a game-changer, offering a transformative journey into global healthcare education,” said IIHS CEO Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe.

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Seylan Bank Reports Strong Growth in Q1 2025 Financials

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Seylan Bank has recorded a Profit before Tax (PBT) of LKR 4,199 million in Q1 2025, marking a 13.36% growth compared to LKR 3,704 million in Q1 2024. Profit after Tax (PAT) rose by 20.29%, reaching LKR 2,761 million, up from LKR 2,295 million in the corresponding period of 2024.

Despite a decrease in net interest income by 8.37% due to market interest rate reductions, the bank’s net fee-based income grew by 13.83%, driven by fees from loans, cards, remittances, and other services. Total operating income for the quarter was LKR 11,258 million, a 3.83% decrease from the previous year, while operating expenses rose by 4.62%, largely due to increased personnel and other operating costs.

Impairment charges were significantly reduced by 83.17%, totaling LKR 262 million, reflecting the bank’s solid credit quality and proactive provisions. The bank’s impaired loan ratio improved to 1.98% from 2.10% in Q1 2024, with a provision cover ratio of 80.74%.

Seylan Bank’s total assets grew to LKR 785 billion, with loans and advances reaching LKR 469 billion and deposits totaling LKR 647 billion. The bank’s capital adequacy ratios remained strong, with the Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio at 13.67% and Total Capital Ratio at 17.64%.

In addition to its financial performance, Seylan Bank continued its commitment to education, opening 16 more “Seylan Pahasara Libraries,” bringing the total to 281 libraries across the island.Fitch Ratings upgraded Seylan Bank’s National Long-Term Rating to ‘A+(lka)’ with a Stable Outlook in January 2025, further underscoring the bank’s financial stability and growth trajectory.

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