News Broadcasting
Star Plus voted favourite international channel at Scorpio Multimedia Cable TV Awards in UK
It’s been 18 months since Star Plus started beaming in the UK and it has made its presence felt in the interrim. The jewel in the Star TV crown was voted favourite international channel at the Cable Guide’s fifth annual Cable TV Awards 2002 held last month.
The Cable TV Awards, which are voted for by the UK’s cable subscribers, are seen as a true indicator of the growth and success of the marketplace, an official release states. The Cable Guide Cable TV Awards, which were renamed the Scorpio Multimedia Cable TV Awards this year, saw over 400,000 viewers casting their votes across 19 categories.
Nominations were featured in the May and June issues of Cable Guide and ntl:guide and the winners decided by their readers. Votes were received via ntl:guide, Cable Guide and www.cableguide.co.uk, the release says.
Star Plus won the award edging out two time winner Sony Entertainment Television Asia and French channel TV5. The channel won kudos on the back of programmes such as Kaun Banega Crorepati hosted by Amitabh Bachchan, Kamzor Kadii Kaun hosted by Neena Gupta and numero uno soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi from production house Balaji Telefilms.
V-P business operations in the UK Lisa Srao said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this Award only 18 months after our launch. The cable industry in the UK is a very important one, and our launch across both the Telewest and ntl platforms was a key element of our development in the UK. This award shows that viewers are enjoying the top quality programming that has made Star Plus number 1 in the subcontinent, and they are playing a role in making us number one in the UK too.”
Star Plus and Star News are available on Sky Digital, NTL Home and Telewest Broadband, the release says.
This year’s winners list includes:
1. Favourite drama on cable – ER. In India the show airs on Zee English
2. Favourite comedy on cable – Friends (again on Zee English)
3. Favourite fantasy Sci-Fi Series – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
4. Nickelodeon was voted favourite children’s/teen channel
5. Toon channel Cartoon Network bagged the award for favourite pre-school channel (under-5s)
6. Animated show (First run) went to The Simpsons
7. Favourite comedy or drama first shown on BBC, ITV, C4, C5 – Da Ali G Show
8. MTV’s Cat Deeley was recognised as favourite UK cable personality
9. Favourite shopping channel – QVC
10. Favourite lifestyle channel – UK Style
11. Favourite Sports Channel – Sky Sports 1, 2 and 3
12. The favourite factual/documentary channel category saw Discovery beating out sister channels Discovery Animal Planet and The History Channel
13. Sky News upset BBC News 24 and CNN International for favourite news channel
14. MTV bagged the award for favourite music/arts channel
15. Film buffs voted Sky Movies Premier as their film channel
16. Favourite interactive television site on ntl-home and/or telewest broadband – BBCi
17. International star of stars – Jennifer Aniston who plays Rachel in the sitcom Friends.
18. Discovery’s Clive Anderson was voted as favourite presenter on cable
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.
