News Broadcasting
DD strikes deal for ICC cricket matches till 2007
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati, which manages Doordarshan and All-India Radio, announced today that it has secured the terrestrial rights for Champions Trophy (2004 and 2006), Holland Cup and the cricket World Cup in 2007 and would show all India matches live.
It also stated that it would bid for the Board for Cricket Control in India (BCCI) cricket telecast rights on a “competitive basis independently.” But, in a contradictory stand, reserved the option of collaborating with another company on the rights issue at a later stage.
Taking a stand that may not amuse the Indian cricket board much, Prasar Bharati is unlikely to follow a BCCI tender document condition that the bids’ denomination should be either in dollar or Euro.”We are assessing the bid document and in a day or two would put up a competitive bid,” Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma told newspersons today, a day after the organisation’s board met to discuss various issues.
Reiterating what indiantelevision.com had reported yesterday, Sarma added that the Prasar Bharati board had decided to request the government to formulate a legislation that would “give the public service broadcaster
mandatory access to telecast rights of events of national importance on a non-competitive basis.”
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous organisation that manages the affairs of Doordarshan and All-India Radio.
Clarifying on the collaboration issue, additional secretary (broadcasting) in the I&B ministry Vijay Singh, (a government nominee on the Prasar Bharati board), said that Prasar Bharati would alone bid for the telecast rights. “But in a situation where it fails to bid successfully, it would keep the option open to collaborate with the rights holder,” he added.
Concurring with him, Sarma said that Prasar Bharati was scheduled to meet up with ESPN executives “today or tomorrow” to keep all channels open.
In a stand that may upset the Indian cricket board, Singh also said that Prasar Bharati would make it clear to BCCI that it would make payments in Indian rupees.
Asked whether payment by an Indian organisation to another Indian organisation in foreign currency is banned under an existing piece of legislation, Singh said that those aspects were being examined. “Let me assure you all that Prasar Bharati would abide by the law of this country and so would BCCI,” he added.
DD TO TELECAST ICC TROPHY, HOLLAND CUP
In a clear bid to augment its revenues, DD has bagged the terrestrial rights for quite a few up and coming cricket tourneys, some of them on a revenue-sharing basis with the original rights holder the Newscorp-owned Global Cricket Corporation (GCC).
The telecast rights obtained by DD include the Champions Trophy later this year and the one to be played in 2006, apart from the terrestrial rights of the cricket World Cup in the West Indies in 2007 and the Holland Cup.
DD will telecast live nine matches each from the ICC Champions Trophy and 19 from the ICC Cricket World Cup, including all India matches, semis and finals and ‘Big Gun’ matches, particularly on weekends.
According to Sarma, for the Champions Trophy later this year, a minimum guarantee of Rs 7.5 million per One Dayer would be provided by Nimbus Communications while the revenue share would be in the ratio of 80:20 in favour of Nimbus (GCC has appointed Harish Thawani’s sports management company to exclusively handle on air sales of these events).
In the case of Holland Cup, which promises to be high voltage drama with India, Pakistan and Australia participating, Sony Entertainment TV India, the rights holder, would provides the bank guarantee and make available signals of India matches to DD on a revenue-sharing basis, the details of which were not disclosed.
As ministry’s Singh rightly pointed out — half in jest — that with the Olympics coverage turning out to be a financial loss for Prasar Bharati (expenses: Rs 250 million; revenue: approximately Rs 80 million), maybe advertising revenue from cricket does some compensation.
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.
