News Broadcasting
BBC World Service gets interactive in Bihar
MUMBAI: The BBC World Service is revisiting India’s heartland,Bihar, to talk to its listeners and encourage even more people to participate in its programmes.
The BBC Hindi service’s interactive campaign My world, my voice is visiting 60 locations across the state of Bihar, from Sugauli to Kishanganj, asking people what they think about the BBC Hindi output and inviting them to engage with its programmes.It aims to reach thousands of residents, as it covers hundreds of kilometres in Bihar, visiting two locations across the state each day.
Local residents will be encouraged to test their knowledge of both current affairs and BBC Hindi programmes, presenters and guest speakers – and win prizes. My world, my voice has been timed to coincide with General Election’s to India’s Legislative Assemblies to highlight the relevance of the BBC Hindi output to those in Bihar who are interested in the global perspective of the daily news.Quizzes conducted from the BBC stand will generate more interest in the BBC Hindi output, especially its flagship morning and evening news and current affairs programmes, Aaj Ke Din and Aajkal.
BBC Hindi head ,Achala Sharma, sees the campaign as a way to connect with the BBC’s core audiences in India. She says, “Listening to audiences is central to BBC Hindi programming, and to reach out for our most remote audiences and to engage with them face to face, we have had several road-shows in India over the past two years. We have covered thousands of kilometres, talking directly to thousands of listeners, discussing issues important to them, encouraging their direct participation and, most of all, listening to them.”
“My world, my voice is in the same spirit as it will tour Bihar to remind our audience – those in small towns and village haats – about our vibrant programmes, and to engage them in dialogue about the programmes which are for them and about them.”adds,Sharma.
For the first time, the BBC has teamed up with India’s Post Office whose branches across Bihar will sell special My world, my voice meghdoots – postcards.Feedback forms addressed to the BBC will be distributed at the events, inviting residents of Bihar to share their views of the BBC Hindi programmes. Alongside main, interactive activity, the My world, my voice campaign incorporates an outdoor communications element, with hoardings and wall-paintings featuring people and images from rural India.
BBC World Service Marketing Communications & Audiences controller, Alan Booth, says, “The Bihar campaign will show the BBC Hindi service as contemporary, relevant and inspiring. Our previous campaigns in northern India have demonstrated the effectiveness of this form of interaction as they helped increase our Hindi listenership by 4.3 million. We want to keep the momentum of this success and continue to encourage active listening among potential audiences in India’s ‘Hindi belt’.” t was not in the perview of the contract.
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.
