News Broadcasting
Network18 urges citizens to stay safe with #MakeYourOwnMask campaign
MUMBAI: Network18 has launched a nationwide campaign exhorting people to make, wear and distribute home-made masks under #MakeYourOwnMask initiative. This is the latest initiative in a series that includes #StayHome and #IndiaGives, devised to battle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The campaign, announced last week, has three major planks — spreading consciousness among people to wear masks when outdoors, making those masks at home to reduce the stress on medical-grade masks that are in short supply and much-needed by medical workers and unleashing creativity and a spirit of involvement among people to produce these masks,” reads an official statement.
This is the second public awareness and engagement campaign regarding the current health crisis by the group after #IndiaGives, in the wake of the global health crisis. Network18 chief executive officer — Television News Avinash Kaul says: “Network18 takes its responsibility as a corporate citizens and a force for good in society very seriously. It has always been involved with causes that are aligned with nation-building, and given we are India's largest news network with three weeks’ lockdown reach at 50 crores unduplicated viewers, it is imperative that our campaigns are aligned with the issues of the day to create maximum impact.”
The campaign, an editorial initiative, will showcase a series of programs and videos across all its news channels and digital properties on ways to make masks using easily available material at home.
The channels will also telecast short DIY #MakeYourOwnMask tutorials throughout the day at the end of each bulletin to make this essential product accessible to everyone in their homes. In addition, the team of anchors and reporters will support the cause by wearing their homemade masks to further encourage the viewers about safety.
A digital campaign has been planned wherein people can log onto Firstpost and News18 websites to find DIY tutorials, graphics and social media feed of the campaign catching steam on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Viewers will be invited to share their selfies, photographs, videos and stories of making masks at home, which will be further amplified across the channels and digital media.
Network18 president – digital & corporate strategy Puneet Singhvi says, “The digital news fronts are already seeing a surge of a new audience and higher engagement driven by a need to keep up with updates and developments around the situation. This is true especially for a media house like ours that has a backing of the largest news network combined with massive digital reach. Through this campaign, we are looking at setting new standards of audience engagement.”
With this initiative, Network18 aims to spearhead wearing of masks a social norm and lead a definitive journey to ensure good public health. For more information, the group urges viewers to log onto http://www.news18.com/makeyourownmask
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.
