News Broadcasting
CNN special reveals the connect between happiness and health
MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNN will air the special Happpiness And Your Health: The Surprising Connection on 9 December at 1230 pm, 8:30 pm and on 10 December at 1230 pm.
CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins the eternal search for happiness. Talking with doctors, philosophers, teachers, business leaders and comedians, Dr. Gupta asks where happiness comes from, how to get it and whether people need it.
Joined by guests including US comedian Richard Lewis Curb Your Enthusiasm and motivational speaker Tony Robbins, Dr. Gupta reveals the surprising secrets of happy people, the ways in which happiness affects health and the intriguing results of an exclusive CNN poll.
‘Born Happy’ – Happiness experts say that personality has deep roots in genetics. The programme features identical twins who despite growing up without knowing of each other’s existence for 25 years, noticed more than a few similarities when they first
‘Power of Laughter’ – “Laughing is halfway to healing” is the motto of laughter yoga. This movement, created by a Mumbai doctor, today claims more than 3,000 clubs in 40 countries. Dr. Gupta laughs along with a club in California, finding intricate links between happiness and health.
‘Unnatural Highs’ – Psychiatrist Julie Holland and Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the US, explain the effects that drugs – legal and illegal – have on the brain and compare these effects to natural highs.
‘How to be Happy’ – Viewers will hear surprising research into what really makes people happy, as well as a life lesson from someone who found himself paralysed in a car accident at the age of 29, and who subsequently suffered the deaths of his second wife, sister and parents, yet emerged from those struggles happier and wiser than ever.
Dr. Gupta says, “There is more than one route to happiness and well-being. This special will take viewers on a journey and hopefully help them live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.”
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.
