News Broadcasting
Its a great beat for a good cause on Antakshari
Instead of politicians dancing to popular tunes it was people who were dancing to politicians' tunes last Friday when leaders from different parties participated in a Special Antakshari show organised by Zee TV.
Zee marked the completion of 400 Antakshari episodes by organising 14 charity fund-raising programmes in aid of victims of the recent Gujarat earthquake. The exotic sets in Essel World's Water Kingdom situated near the western Mumbai suburb of Borivli was all glitter what with political heavyweights like Chhagan Bhujbal, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, making their presence felt. Bhujbal did quite a star turn on the drums and struck up a lively beat. He started with the patriotic Mere desh ki Dharti and later Sare jahaan se achcha Hindustan hamara where he was accompanied by Renuka Chaudhary of Congress for Parwane. The Diwane team comprised of Gulab Nabi Azad and his wife Shamim. Azad sang the original Kashmiri version of Bumbro Bumbro from Mission Kashmir. The Mastane team comprised of Kirit Somaiya of BJP and Girija Vyas of Congress. Antakshari's former hostesses Renuka Shahane and Durga Jasraj along with Rajeshwari provided singing support to the participants while Anu Kapoor anchored the show.
Team Deewane: Congressman Ghulam Nabi Azad with wife Shameem Azhar; Team Parwane: Bhujbal and Renuka Chaudhary of the Congress; Team Mastane: Kirit Somaiya and Girija Vyas of the BJP. Standing is Antakshari host Anu Kapoor. From left: Durga Jasraj, Renuka Shahane (both former co-hosts) and Rajeshwari (present co-host) are also seen.
Bhujbal and Chaudhary on the Diwane won the contest and a cheque of Rs 100,000 which they promptly returned to the organisers. Kalraj Mishra, chief of the Utter Pradesh BJP unit, presented the cheque to Maya Dave, one of those left homeless by the Gujarat earthquake.
The politicians enjoyed their new role, while the audience also enjoyed every bit of it, especially the singing efforts of Kirit Somaiya. "I enjoyed it thoroughly," Renuka Chaudhary, who had flown down from Delhi specifically for the programme, said.
Ashok Goyal, who heads the Essel group, announced that RS 1 million from the earnings of Antakshari would go to the Zee TV earthquake relief fund. While elaborating on the relief work carried out by Zee TV, he said the estimated cost of relief work for the village adopted by Zee TV was in the region of RS 80-100 million.
Among the celebrities who graced the occasion was music maestro OP Nayyar.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
