News Broadcasting
Sahara completes phase 1 of restructuring; Aditya is CEO
MUMBAI: Sahara One today officially announced the appointment of Shantonu Aditya as CEO of the company, while saying the restructuring of its media and entertainment business into three strategic units was complete.
The three arenas are the general entertainment television, motion pictures and movie channel businesses. Says restructuring initiative head Peter Isaac, “Aditya will head the initiatives that we enter in this business. Each unit will be an individual profit centre which will form a part of the larger corporate entity.” Aditya moves from SET Discovery where he was president of the company.
Plans are afoot to build the Sahara Film City soon. Sahara’s media and entertainment business was rebranded “Sahara One” last October with a new channel ID and promotions.
Speaking on his appointment, Aditya says: “I am delighted at the prospect of leading Sahara’s media & entertainment business. Having already become the market leader in Hindi Film content production with over six releases in the last eight months, Sahara One is poised to take giant strides in the near future.”
Adds Isaac: “We are pleased to have completed the first phase of the venture. The effort is moving ahead smoothly and business operations are being established within both time and cost targets.”
As already reported by indiantelevision.com, Sahara has now completed the first phase of restructuring the media and entertainment business into three strategic business units – “Sahara One” Entertainment Television, “Sahara One” Motion Pictures and “Sahara One” Filmy (the Hindi Film based entertainment channel). Plans are afoot to build the Sahara Film City soon for which detailed research has been completed and plans are being finalized.
Aditya’s core team is as follows: Purnendu Bose – COO “Sahara One” Television Channel; Sandeep Bhargava – COO, “Sahara One” Motion Pictures; Ashutosh – Business Head, “Sahara One” Filmy Channel; Avijit Mita – head programming, non-fiction & on-air programmes, “Sahara One” Entertainment Channel; Kumud Choudhary – head programming – fiction – “Sahara One” Entertainment Channel; Mukul Mishra – head on-air programmes, “Sahara One” Filmy Channel; and Soumen Ghosh Choudhary – head broadcast operations and engineering, “Sahara One” Entertainment Channel.
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.
