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Franklin Templeton gets CNBC-TV18, Crisil ‘Mutual Fund of the Year’ Award
MUMBAI: CNBC-TV18 and Crisil have, in association with BNP Paribas, joined hands to combine their individual long standing awards, to recognise consistent performance of India’s mutual funds, through the CNBC TV18 Crisil Mutual Fund of the Year Award.
SEBI Chairman G N Bajpai was the Guest of Honour at the awards ceremony and presented Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund with the ‘Mutual Fund of the Year Award’.
In addition to leaders from various fund houses, luminaries from India’s financial services sector including senior regulators, leading economists and analysts witnessed a host of awards being presented to various mutual funds for their consistent performance over time on the Crisil~CPR performance rankings framework.
Speaking at the CNBC-TV18 – Crisil Mutual Fund of the Year Award ceremony CNBC-TV18 CEO Haresh Chawla said, “This is the first time both CNBC-TV18 and Crisil have combined their long-standing associations with the mutual fund industry, thus creating the biggest Mutual Fund Awards in the region. The Mutual Fund of the Year Award is used extensively as a benchmark by intermediaries as well as investors today. CNBC- TV18 is determined to continue its endeavour of helping investors make informed investing decisions based on objective criteria.”
Commenting at the Awards ceremony, Crisil managing director and CEO R Ravimohan said, “The Crisil~CPR performance rankings have over time developed into the industry benchmark for mutual fund schemes in India, as they offer a robust, unbiased and objective yardstick for recognition of consistent performance. Crisil has a long-term commitment to the funds industry to help develop new standards in benchmarking, valuation and other analytics. We are happy to partner CNBC-TV18 in awarding the best performing funds.”
According to Crisil executive director and chief rating officer Roopa Kudva , “When Crisil launched Crisil~CPR in 2000, we had two key objectives in mind – To establish for the growing mutual fund industry a credible, objective and analytically rigorous measure for recognition of consistent mutual fund performance; and, as part of Crisil’s ongoing initiatives — to deepen India’s capital markets. “
The mutual fund schemes, which were awarded the CNBC-TV18 – Crisil Mutual Fund of the Year Awards for their consistent performance in seven categories were:
Open-ended Equity Diversified Funds: Alliance Basic Industries Fund, DSP Merrill Lynch Opportunities Fund, UTI Growth Value Fund
Open-ended Income Funds: Birla Income Plus Plan B, Principal Income Fund
Open-ended Income Short Term Funds: Birla Bond Plus – Retail, Principal Income Fund – Short Term Plan
Open-ended Balanced Funds: DSP Merrill Lynch Balanced Fund, HDFC Prudence Fund
Open-ended Liquid Funds: Alliance Cash Manager, Prudential ICICI Liquid Plan, Templeton India Treasury Management Account
Open-ended Gilt-Long Term Funds: Templeton India G-Sec Fund – Composite Plan, Templeton India G-Sec Fund – Long Term Plan
Open-ended Monthly Income Plans: FT India Monthly Income Plan
Consistent performance, as determined by the Crisil Composite Performance Rankings (Crisil~CPR) methodology was used for deciding the award winners. The eligibility criterion for being among the universe for consideration for the Awards was fairly stringent – the schemes had to qualify for all the four quarterly Crisil~CPRs in the year 2004.
Crisil FundServices analysed performances of the eligible schemes on the following parameters: risk adjusted returns, portfolio constitution of funds parameters like concentration, liquidity and asset quality. Hence the analysis is forward looking as well. The schemes were then ranked category-wise by computing the weighted average levels of the parameter-wise performance.
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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.
