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ABAI: KAVGC 2013 Summit concludes in Bangalore
BENGALURU: The Karnataka Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (KAVGC) Summit organised by the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI), in collaboration with the government of Karnataka concluded on Thursday 29 August 2013, ending two days of power packed sessions by Indian and international experts from the industry and the Karnataka state government.
The first session on day two: the Business session on Technology was moderated by NVIDIA Country Head Vishal Dhupar and had Arul Moorthy, NVIDIA – GPU in the VFX Workflow Senior Applied Engineer Wil Braithwaite; Autodesk-Mental Ray Lead Animation AE in APAC Prem Moraes; HP – Shared Infrastructure, National Business Development Manager for Cloud Solutions R Balasubramanian and Wipro Technologies CTO of Global Media and Communication Business Jayanta Dey as co-panellists.
This was followed by a session on AVGC in a Globally Connected World moderated by The Children’s Media Foundation, UK Director Greg Childs. The session had representatives from different parts of the world speaking about the facilities that their territories had to offer to the Indian AVGC industry. This included Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Senior Trade Commissioners from Canada, France, UK and Quebec (Canada).
The session on Original Content Development moderated by Liquid Comics Founder Suresh Seetharaman had Walt Disney Television International India ex Director Content and Creative Arnab Chaudhuri; Technicolor Animation and Gaming Art Director Manoj Menon and Novo Juris – “How not to lose it” Sharda Balaji as co-panellists.
One of the most interesting sessions was the Show and Tell Session that had the audience’s undivided attention. Arnab Chaudhuri the director of the Indian animated action film ‘Arjun the Warrior Prince’ (AWP) spoke of the making of the film. Chaudhuri revealed the various real life characters on which every character in his film was based, details about the sets, as well as shared some of the raw footage and sketches that resulted in the final product. One of the best animated products out from India, AWP was produced by UTV motion pictures and Walt Disney Pictures, with Chaudhuri as Director Content and Creative at Walt Disney Television International India.
The summit culminated with a session on Education moderated by Dreamworks Dedicated Unit at Technicolor India Studio Head Adi Shayan. The other panellists were Dr. Ashish Kulkarni (CEO Reliance Animation) in his capacity as Ficci AVGC Forum, Governing Council Member and Ficci-MESC Initiatives for Skill Development; Asian Institute of Gaming and Animation (AIGA) Founder Hanif Mohammed; Native Puppets – Artists Perspective Founder Anand Baid, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, College of Fine Arts Director Dr. R Kulkarni; The Painted Sky Art Based Learning Approaches Executive Coach, Founder and Director Anirban Bhatrtacharya.
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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.
