News Broadcasting
BBC on look out for fresh talent for ‘Haath se Haath Mila’
MUMBAI: After recruiting fresh team for its AIDS awareness show – Jasoos Vijay, BBC World Service Trust is hiring again. The NGO arm of BBC World Service this time is on a talent hunt for the second edition of on-location reality show Haath se Haath Mila that airs on Doordarshan’s regional channel and targets the Hindi belt audiences.
The international broadcaster has placed an advertisement in a daily tabloid inviting applications for full-time as well as few part time positions, which are scheduled to start in June 2003. It is mentioned in the ad placed that the BBC is looking out for producers, associate producers, production manager, production assistants, VT editors on full time basis and unit manager and presenter on part time basis, for their Delhi based office.
A joint venture between the BBC World Service Trust, the Indian National AIDS Control Organisation and pubcaster Prasar Bharati – Haath se Haath Mila is the part of an AIDS awareness campaign.
Haath se Haath Mila’s anchors- Daman and Sugandha
The tri-weekly that targets the youth, debut on 9 July 2001 and is aired every Friday at 6:30 pm in Rajasthan, 7:30 pm Saturdays in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. With Hindi film actor Suniel Shetty initially providing an interactive element in the first edition and starring fresh-faced youngsters with non-elite appeal, the production values of this show were rumoured to be higher than the pubcasters normal standards.
The applicants for the post of producer must have a minimum of three years experience in television production of non-fiction formats while the applicants for associate producers must have a minimum of two years relevant experience. As for the post of production manager, interested candidates are required to have knowledge of effective unit and financial management of production and a minimum of three years experience. The selected candidates will manage production and control on-location unit.
The applicants for the post of production assistants must have basic knowledge of television production whereas the candidates for the VT editors’ post must have a minimum of one year experience in non-linear editing and technical knowledge of DV formats and Final Cut Pro. Besides the full time positions, the broadcaster has invited application for the post of unit manager and presenters fluent in Hindi to work on part time basis.
The deadline for receiving application is 28 May 2003, says the advertisement. The applicants have to submit their CV and a covering letter specifying the position applied for at Creative Director, Youth, BBC World Service Trust, D-184, Defense Colony, New Delhi 110024 or e-mail at jobs@bbcwst.org.
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.
