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NRSC forms new technical body; schemes NRS 2004
MUMBAI: A meeting of the National Readership Studies Council (NRSC) held on 24 September in Mumbai has elected The Times of India Group president Pradeep Guha as the chairman. Guha succeeds Krishan Premnarayen of the Mumbai-based Prem Associates Advertising and Marketing.
NRS council also commissioned the NRS 2004 by appointing a single research agency namely, AC Nielsen ORG-MARG Pvt. Ltd. to undertake this study, informs an official release.
The specialities of NRS 2004 include an increase in sample size by 30 per cent and an increase of over 120 per cent in the number of locations. All adults over 12 years of age across all states in India (Except J & K, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands) will be included in the coverage. Other highlights of the survey include:
All districts to be covered.
All Towns above 1 lakh population to be covered.
Coverage of Number of villages covered more than doubled for higher spread of the sample as compared to NRS 2003.
Readership Estimates by editions.
Readership of supplements in 35 metros.
Section-wise readership.
Psychographic profiling parameters.
100 per cent dedicated Team of the Research Agency to supervise the entire project.
Quality checks by reputed External Audit firm.
Incidence of Internet usage from Mobile & SMS usage.
An enlarged technical committee has been constituted, headed by Madison CEO Sam Balsara CEO MADISON, as its chairman. Group M managing director Ashutosh Srivastava will be the deputy chairman. The members of the technical committee include Media agencies: Arpita Menon (Lodestar), Jasmin Sorabji (Mediacom), Karthik Sharma (Madison) and V Balasubramaniam (Group M). Publications: Ashish Bagga (Living Media Group), Conrad Saldanah (Times of India), Vargese Chandy (Malyala Manorama), Girish Aggarwal (Dainik Bhaskar), Vikas Joshi (Dainik Jagran), Mitrajit Bhattacharya (Chitralekha) and Suresh Balakrishanan (Hindustan Times), Rajmohan (Hathway Investments), Girish Agarwal (Dainik Bhaskar), Mitrajit Bhattacharya (Chitralekha) and Vikas Joshi (Dainik Jagran). Advertisers: Rajesh Kumar (Tata Motors), Soumitra Sengupta (Cadbury’s), Shyam Motwani (Godrej Appliances), Manoj Vidhwans (Star India) and V Chandramouli (Onida). Well-known Research professional Dr Sridhar has been appointed as advisor.
The additional steps taken by the NRSC council to ensure the robustness of the findings include appointing of only one research agency to ensure accountability, appointment of a full time and qualified research professional at ABC, solely dedicated to NRSC, appointment of a reputed external auditing firm. NRSC has also appointed a renowned research professional Dr. Sridhar as advisor.
The project has already been initiated and is in the process of being rolled out. The findings are expected to be released in March 2005, the release added.
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.
