Punjab National Bank appointed Harmanpreet Kaur as its first female brand ambassador, who will launch new products and strengthen its innovation-driven customer outreach.
- The announcement was made at PNB’s corporate office in New Delhi during a ceremony themed “Banking on Champions.” Kaur was presented with a framed PNB jersey with her name and number, symbolizing her association with the bank.
- Harmanpreet Kaur said, “It honestly feels very surreal. I have been banking with PNB since the age of 18, and my first account was at the PNB Moga branch. Standing here today as the brand ambassador of the bank is an honour for me.”
Harmanpreet Kaur launched new products
- PNB RuPay Metal Credit Card Luxura – PNB’s first metal credit card designed for premium customers
- PNB One 2.0 – an upgraded digital banking platform
- Digi Surya Ghar – a service supporting solar-based solutions
- PNB’s onboarding on the IIBX portal – enabling participation in gold bullion online trading
Harmanpreet Kaur became brand ambassador for Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon 2025
- In November 2025, Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur was appointed International Brand Ambassador for the 10th edition of the Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon (VPCHM 2025).
- Under Vedanta Limited’s #RunForZeroHunger initiative, the 2025 marathon was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, highlighting its commitment to tackling child hunger.
History of PNB
- Punjab National Bank (PNB) was established on 19 May 1894 in Lahore as India’s first swadeshi bank. Key milestones in its history include opening its first branch in 1895, nationalisation by the government in 1969, and merging with Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India in 2020.
- It was founded with the support of leaders of the Swadeshi movement, including Dyal Singh Majithia, who became its first chairman. Lala Lajpat Rai was also actively involved. Operations: Opened for business on 12 April 1895 with an authorised capital of ₹2 lakh and working capital of ₹20,000.
Ramakrishnan Chandar appointed MD of LIC of India
- On 1 December 2025, the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Government of India (GoI) appointed Ramakrishnan Chandar as Managing Director (MD) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
- The appointment is effective immediately until 30 September 2027 or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
- This appointment was issued under Section 4 of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India Act, 1956, and notified in the Gazette of India, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii).
- Chandar assumed this role after serving as Executive Director (Investment – Front Office) and Chief Investment Officer at LIC, where he was responsible for overseeing one of the country’s largest investment portfolios.
- He joined LIC in 1990 as an Assistant Administrative Officer and rose steadily through the ranks over the decades. A Graduate and Fellow of the Insurance Institute of India, Chandar has worked in both marketing and administrative roles.
- Previous role: He earlier served as Executive Director (ED) – Investment (Front Office) and Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at LIC.
- Key positions: Senior Divisional Manager (SDM) in Nagpur and Hyderabad, Regional Manager (RM) – Pensions and Group Schemes (P&GS) and Marketing in South Zone, and Executive Director (ED) heading LIC’s Strategic Business Unit (BU) for International Operations.
Usha Janakiram appointed Executive Director in RBI
- In December 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Usha Janakiram as its new Executive Director (ED) effective from 1 December 2025, marking a major elevation in her career spanning over three decades in the RBI.
- As ED, she will lead the Department of Supervision (DoS), focusing on strengthening risk assessment, data analysis, vulnerability monitoring, and financial system oversight.
- She is a highly experienced Chartered Accountant (CA) with extensive experience in the RBI. Previous role: Chief General Manager-in-Charge (CGM-in-Charge), Department of Regulation, RBI Central Office, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
