News Broadcasting
Max says cricket thrusts it ahead of Star Plus at top in channel share
MUMBAI: The Indian team may be giving its fans ulcers by its up and down displays at the ongoing ICC World Cup 2003 but viewers just cannot seem to drag themselves away from the action if the TAM ratings data generated from the first week’s action is anything to go by.
Max, quoting TAM Media data, says it has displaced Star Plus at the top in terms of all-India channel share with 16.8 per cent as against 11.1 per cent for the flagship channel of the Star Network.
SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta was quoted in a company release as saying: “Twenty of the Top 100 programs of the week were from MAX. There were four MAX programs in the Top 20, 12 in the Top 50, and 20 in the Top 100. In the Top programs category of the same week, the Live India-Australia match was placed 3rd. Apart from this, MAX captured one more position with the India-Holland match amongst the Top 10 shows.”
MAX business head Rajat Jain was also quoted in the same release as saying: “From the seven matches played till 15 February 2003, India matches pegged a high average of 8.6 despite India’s unimpressive showing in the first week. Similarly, the non-India matches too pegged a very impressive average rating of 4.2, which is an unheard of figure for non-India Cricket matches telecast in the past. The average of all seven matches was an excellent 5.5.”
The city which MAXed in terms of ratings was sports-crazy Kolkata which had an average rating of 10.3 for all seven matches, 20.2 for the India-Australia match and 17.6 for the India-Holland encounter.
“Similarly, Mumbai too pegged a good high of 10-plus for both, the India-Australia and the India-Holland matches,” said Jain, adding, “Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore too pegged highs of 9-plus for the India-Holland match, while Chennai gave us a high of 7.2 for the same,” Jain said.
Extraa Innings, MAX’s wrap-around programming, meanwhile, averaged 1.4 for all matches and 2 for the India matches. Looks as if Charu Sharma, Mandira Bedi and gang have something to crow about. And the critics be damned.
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.
