News Broadcasting
NT awards recognise the best in TV news
NEW DELHI: In a fitting finale to a year that saw some very tumultuous coverage for television news channels highlighted among others by the Indian victory of the ICC Cricket World Cup and the anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare, the best in the world of the electronic media were felicitated at the gala event of the 5th News Television Awards here this evening.
Over 135 awards in different categories in four languages – English, Hindi, Marathi and Telugu – were presented amidst huge cheers by a large number of high profile dignitaries from the world of television, performing arts, sports, fashion, bureaucracy, and politics.
While presenting the awards, Indiantelevision.com founder and CEO Anil Wanvari said ethics and credibility will be the key to news coverage with the changeover to digital technology. He therefore advised media persons to find the right model for news according to their viewership.
There were three cases where the awards were shared amongst two channels, but there were several individual programmes or individual newspersons and anchors who received more than one award.
The awards gala was hosted by television actress Manini Dey Mishra and TV presenter Denzil O’Connell, who made some interesting comments on the way news is presented or about politics and personalities in general, leaving the audience in splits.
Indiantelevision.com general manager Anoop Wanvari referred in his opening remarks that the awards were aimed at encouraging young people in doing better, and echoed the sentiments of Anil Wanvari, when he called for more channels to send entries for these awards – which were the first to be instituted especially for news TV channels.
Awards were given for the best in categories like crime shows, sports shows, gadget and auto programmes, documentaries with limited duration, news presentation, anchors and news readers, business news programmes, investigative reporting, current affairs, prime time news cast, popular news show, use of graphics, set design (actual and virtual), cameraperson, promos, show packaging, news reporters and presenters, entertainment critics and news anchors, business programmes, public debates, and lifestyle and fashion.
Special awards were given for coverage of two major events of 2011 – the World Cup win for India, and the agitation for a Lok Pal by Anna Hazare. There was also a special award for the best news person under 24 years of age.
Those who had come to give away the awards included Central Information Commission chief Wajahat Habbibullah, Birju Maharaj, Aman Ali Khan, HK Dua, politicians Dr Subramaniam Swamy and Jaya Jaitley, Kiran Bedi, fashion designer Ritu Beri, danseuse Shovana Narayan, former cricket player Bishen Singh Bedi, former RBI chief Bimal Jalan, Doordarshan deputy director general Raj Shekhar Vyas, Rashmi Rizhwani, Babbal Sabharwal, Shaswati Sen, industrialist Mohit Burman, Francis Wacziarg of Neemrana Hotels, and veteran media person Kuldip Nayyar.
The awards function came at the end of a news summit on ‘Seeking a growth injection: Is digitisation the answer for the news television business’ which saw representatives of leading news channels, direct-to-home platforms and others in the television news industry taking part in four different sessions on ‘Tech Trends’, ‘A look at the Genre’, ‘Content’, and ‘The Leader Panel’.
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.
