News Broadcasting
Mirchi shuffles key people, adds zest to shows
MUMBAI: Music may still be the soul of FM in India, but that isn’t stopping FM stations from toying with different genres for that edge over rivals.
Radio Mirchi, which recently tried its hand at innovative programming with Ms Gonsalves and Bollywood Locha, plans to introduce a few more shows in the coming days. One will be dedicated to recounting the various legacies of Bollywood, while another will consist of interviews with Mumbai’s important people as well as Hindi film personalities.
A large scale contest is also being planned for a launch a month away, says Radio Mirchi COO Prashant Panday. Mirchi’s revamped programming, that’s being phased in gradually (notably the morning show that’s gone topical with RJ Harsh commenting on newsy topics every day) also reflects the change in management structure at the organisation.
Mirchi’s Kolkata station director Romen Sood has been elevated as senior vice president and regional director, south, while the Chennai station director of Radio Mirchi Sharat Chandra has been brought to Mumbai as senior vice president, marketing and business development. The Chennai marketing head Anand Parmeshwaran has been made station director of the Kolkata Radio Mirchi.
After the December 2003 exit of Sunil Sahjwani, who was national creative head of Entertainment Network India Limited, the Mirchi team has been working as a cohesive unit of creative heads and executive producers who report to national programming controller, Tapan Sen, who has been with Bennett, Coleman’s radio wing since the early days of Times FM.
Radio Mirchi, operational in seven cities in India, has unlike nearest competitor Radio City, which has been angling for appointment viewing with the masses, also gone aggro on the format event front. Panday says that while the station approaches the medium of radio as a topical one that should act as the platform for news on conveniences and best bargains going in their city, it also indulges heavily in brand acitivity.
The property fairs in Pune and the ongoing one in Mumbai, the food melas in Delhi and the consumer exhibition in Chennai have been ways of increasing brand awareness and developing the category. The encouraging response from the SEC A and B demographic who have thronged the ‘mela’ venues as well as the continuing leadership in the car listenership category continue to drive its programming strategy, he says.
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.
