News Broadcasting
Republic TV partners Gramener to enhance election coverage
MUMBAI: Republic TV has signed on Gramener for real-time media coverage. Powered by Gramener, the channel has lined up real time coverage for all Indian state elections and mainly for the 2019 general elections. Gramener, which has signed a multi-year deal with Republic TV, will help enhance the visual look both on-air and online to present the data in a constructive and meaningful manner.
Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami said that the Republic Network focuses mainly on covering elections, political debates and election related panel discussions.
“Our viewers expect us to cover every election in the most accurate and in-depth manner. With the explosion of noise today, it’s becoming more and more crucial to present viewers with the accurate picture and present it in a manner that’s easy to understand and evaluate. Hence we have partnered with Gramener in a continued pursuit to focus on analyzing data and bringing to the audience fantastic visual presentation of election results. Election means Republic TV and Republic TV equals news,” he said.
Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani said, “As a brand, we want to provide deeper insights to the audience using simple data representation for election coverage. A major reason for us to retain our number 1 spot since the past 52 weeks is our keenness to analyse data with precision and speed. In today’s noisy and complex world, we have the ability to focus on what’s important and draw out results which our users find extremely valuable. I’m glad that Gramener, our strategic partner, will help us further strengthen this ability by decoding complex election data and build a unique experience for our audience with live data graphics and fastest numbers in all Indian state elections and the 2019 General Elections.”
Gramener, a data science company, forayed into visual data journalism in 2013 and has since conducted multiple projects in visualising election campaign data with clear number-based analyses, including national elections in 2014 and multiple state elections since then.
Commenting on this collaboration, Gramener CEO Anand S said, “Media and entertainment is a key vertical for growth and we devised intelligent solutions for Global audience. We would bring cognitive and data science expertise to sharpen the election analysis with cutting-edge analytics and visualisation tools in a real-time environment.”
Republic TV’s election coverage will be telecast on air and will also be available on the website and on the Republic TV app.
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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.
