News Broadcasting
Discovery launching science-focussed initiative Channel Quest in 2002-03
The Discovery Channel has announced that the 2002-03 season will include the launch of Discovery Channel Quest, a new initiative designed to inspire and fund the next generation of scientific achievement.
An official release informs that over the past two decades, the Discovery Channel has provided the resources for research that resulted in groundbreaking finds including the recovery of the Liberty Bell 7 space capsule, identification of two new dinosaur species.
Discovery Channel Quest seeks to expand this legacy by funding projects, scientists and explorers who are at the vanguard of their fields. These research activities will be chronicled via online and televised despatches from sites around the world, lecture series, and landmark television specials that capture the toil, genius, setbacks and exhilaration that are the lifeblood of the search for knowledge the release states.
Executive VP and GM Discovery Channel Clark Bunting said: “At a time when many programmers are looking to retrench and conserve, the Discovery Channel is aggressively investing in the highest quality original programming, specials and initiatives like Discovery Channel Quest.
This is the key to expanding our already strong position in an increasingly cluttered television world, and we are looking forward to delivering programming that continue to engage and surprise viewers as well as enabling science and exploration that may change our view of the world.”
In addition. the channel announced that the 2002-03 schedule will see six new original series. They include Hi-Tech History which blends past and future by using 21st century technology and techniques to answer the lingering questions of histories’ greatest mysteries. People Watch combines real life video footage with expert scientific, anthropological and psychological perspectives to analyse everyday behaviors that most of us take for granted.
James Cameron’s Expedition Bismarck will be the first programme emanating from the Discovery Channel Quest initiative. The director of Titanic searches for the German battleship DKM Bismarck. The program chronicles his personal quest for the submerged wreck and seeks new information and answers to how this seemingly invincible ship was destroyed on its maiden voyage.
The Discovery Channel and BBC will reunite in 2002-03 for a wide range of high profile specials. The coming year features the next installment in the Walking With… franchise. Cavemen will be featured. This all-new special will use the latest research and computer generated images (CGI) to shed new light on what life was like for our human ancestors. The new series also pioneers deep time-lapse, a visual technique that allows viewers to witness incredible scenes of climate change, geological uplift and environmental turmoil spanning millions of years – all in just a few moments. The Great Pyramid recreates a “builder’s eye view” of the construction of the Great Pyramid at Giza.
Other specials coming in 2002-03 include Joined For Life, a program that looks at the daily life of the conjoined 11-year-old Hensel twins. The Hensel family chose Discovery to exclusively document a year in the life of the 11-year-old twins, from March 2001 to March 2002.
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.
