News Broadcasting
DD to offer TV service in cars
NEW DELHI: Do you want to watch a cricket match on television while stretched out on the backseat of your car and receive live news and entertainment programmes as well? If national broadcaster Doordarshan has its way, the days that you would watch television while on the move are not far away.
DD is in talks with a host of Japanese companies to bring to India a technology that would help receive television signals on automobiles. The present systems in use does not allow reception of signals on moving vehicles.
“The move by Doordarshan to start the direct to home (DTH) and digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) has helped to start this service. We are looking at starting this service in the metros,” director general of Doordarshan SY Qureshi said, while addressing a news conference here today.
A consumer willing to avail this service needs to invest about Rs 10, 000 to buy a receiver and an antenna, which would help him to receive digital signals. The antenna would be used to receive the signal, while the receiver or set top box would decode the signal and transmit it to television sets installed in the automobiles.
“We have come to know that some Japanese companies have the technology for this. We are starting negotiations with them to bring such a receiver to India,” Qureshi said.
When asked about the market for such a service, he said, “We know that there is a niche market for such a service. But it would be an additional service that we would be able to provide them.”
DD would be targeting car owners, bus services companies and railways as possible targets for such a service.
Qureshi also said that DD is finalising its business plan for the DTH service it has announced recently. “The final plans of the Rs 5-billion DTH service is under preparation. We want to cover the entire country with this service,” he said.
Qureshi also said that Doordarshan is finalising its business plan for the DTH service it has announce recently. “The final plans of the Rs 500-crore (Rs 5 billion) DTH service is under preparation. We want to cover the entire country with this service,” he said. According to him, the DTH service by DD would have about 20 channels, 10 Doordarshan and 10 free to air private channels in its bouquet to begin with. “But we intend to expand this to 40 channels in the long run,” he said, adding that one of the reasons to opt for the DTH service was to free its distribution from cable operators.
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.
