Karnataka Bank has scheduled its 102nd Founders’ Day celebration for Wednesday, February 18, 2026, in Mangaluru. The keynote lecture will be delivered by the distinguished former bureaucrat, Shri Debasish Panda, IAS (Retd.), former Chairman of IRDAI. Following the lecture, an all-women classical music ensemble concert will be held. The event will be broadcast live across various media channels.
102nd Founders’ Day Celebration Details
Karnataka Bank Ltd. is set to commemorate its 102nd Founders’ Day celebration on Wednesday, 18th February 2026, commencing at 4:00 p.m. The primary venue for the event will be the Bank’s Head Office in Mangaluru, Karnataka State.
Keynote Speaker: Shri Debasish Panda, IAS (Retd.)
The Bank is honored to host Shri Debasish Panda, IAS (Retd.), who has consented to deliver the Founders’ Day Lecture. Shri Panda, a distinguished 1987 batch IAS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is recognized as a visionary leader and policy reformer with extensive contributions across finance, insurance, and public administration. His tenure as Chairman of IRDAI (2022–2025) was pivotal in redefining regulatory frameworks, spearheading the vision of ‘Insurance for All by 2047’, and prioritizing customer-centric governance.
Furthermore, Shri Raghavendra S Bhat, MD & CEO of Karnataka Bank, highlighted Shri Panda’s significant career achievements, including his role as Secretary, Department of Financial Services (2020–2022), where he led critical banking consolidations and managed COVID-19 financial responses. Shri Panda also served on the Boards of the Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India, and Bank of Baroda.
Post-Lecture Cultural Programme
The formal lecture will be followed by a special cultural presentation: an all-women classical music ensemble concert. The renowned participating artists include Vidushi Manasi Prasad (Vocal), Vidushi Sukanya Ramgopal (Ghatam Tarang), Vidushi CV Shruthi (violin), Vidushi Y G Srilatha Nikshith (Veena), Vidushi Ranjani Siddhanti Venkatesh (Mridangam), and Vidushi Bhagyalakshmi Krishna (Morsing).
Live Broadcast Information
The entire event will be accessible to the public through multiple platforms. It will be streamed live on the Bank’s official social media handles on Youtube and Facebook. Additionally, popular regional TV Channels, “Namma Kudla” and “Namma TV”, will telecast the event live. Broadcasts will also be made available through ‘All India Radio’ Mangaluru. The programme will be presided over by Shri P Pradeep Kumar, Chairman of the Bank.
Source: BSE
