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Times Now honors 11 exceptional Indians at the Amazing Indians Awards 2023
Mumbai: Times Now, India’s leading English news channel hosted the Amazing Indians Awards 2023 in New Delhi on 29 September. A premier national platform, Amazing Indians Awards 2023 recognized and honoured the unwavering spirit of 11 Amazing Indians who, through their courage, resolve, and selfless deeds, have profoundly influenced the lives of others.
The Chief Guests for the event, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Women and Child Development delivered the keynote addresses and felicitated the winners along with the Jury members. The grandeur ceremony also witnessed a special Jugalbandi performance by Smt. Anuradha Pal, India’s First Female Tabla Maestro and a captivating musical presentation by the exceptionally talented members of Shreerang Charitable Trust.
Amazing Indian Awards 2023 winners felicitated across 11 categories included Dr. Jayakumar Karuppusamy (Agriculture), M. Vignesh alias Sai Vignesh (Animal Welfare), Mamoon Akhtar(Education), Amita Deshpande (Environment & Climate), Raj Kumar Bhatia (Food Management and Nutrition), Sukla Debnath (Girl Child and Women’s Rights Empowerment), Manjunath Ningappa Pujari (Healthcare, Medical & Clinical Assistance), Shruti Chaturvedi (Rural Development), Makarand Anaspure (Sanitation and Water), Nisha Malawat (Slum Care) and Yash Tarwadi (Tech For Good). The winners were shortlisted through an exhaustive pan-India screening process by an esteemed panel of jury comprising General M. M. Naravane, Prasoon Joshi, Ritesh Agarwal, Anand Kumar, Dr. S. Rangarajan and Sonam Wangchuk and duly evaluated by Ernst & Young (Process Partner).
In a historic moment, Dr. Veeramuthuvel, Project Director of Chandrayan-3 at ISRO, and Dr. Nigar Shaji, Project Director of Aditya – L1 Mission at ISRO, were honored for their remarkable contributions to India’s space endeavors.
Delivering the welcome address, Times Network MD & CEO MK Anand said, “As India’s most influential news leader, Times Now has played a pivotal role in driving change and action. Amazing Indians Awards is our initiative to highlight the extraordinary achievements of ordinary Indians who have made a positive impact on society. Over the years, the platform has featured the remarkable journeys of over 500 such individuals, each of whom has crafted a legacy through courage, determination, and an unwavering spirit. I am confident that the stories of these ‘Amazing Indians’ will inspire a new generation of changemakers, contributing to a better India.”
Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution, lauded, Times Now for hosting the Amazing Indians awards. “This is a fantastic platform, and I was impressed by the quality of selection of the award nominees. Humble beginnings getting recognized at the beginning is wonderful, and these small seeds will grow into big trees in the future. All the nominees will go back more changed and determined to do even better.”
He went on to add, “The Amazing Indians is an important programme for the ambitions of India’s youth. Such Amazing Indians will power our journey and meet greater objectives of the nation and indeed the world.”
Shri Goyal also took the opportunity to congratulate ISRO scientists Dr Veeramuthuvel and Dr Nigar Shaji for their role in India’s space endeavours. He led the audience in giving a standing ovation to the scientists.
Congratulating the winners, Shri Goyal asserted that the government has been working hard for the public good. Whether it was bringing tap water to every home or enabling 4 crore families to benefit under PM Awas Yojana, the government has taken steps to ensure food security, especially during lockdowns. He said that 80 crore Indians got twice the allocation of grain and not a single starvation death was reported in any state. This is a huge achievement, he added.
Delivering the keynote address, Chief Guest Smriti Irani expressed her delight at the inspiring stories of the Amazing Indians who were honoured at the event. She also congratulated Times Now for assembling a jury of immense talent and diversity. “I am proud and humbled to share this platform with these Amazing Indians. Each one of these illustrious persons who are being honoured here today represent to the whole world what New India represents for our future,” she stated.
Speaking about ISRO and the Moon Landing, she said, “From the Dark Side of the Moon, a new light was shown to the world, showing what we are capable of.”
She congratulated ISRO’s Women Scientists, especially “Nigar ji (Project Director, Aditya – L1 Mission, ISRO) who spoke emphatically that she is part of an organisation that does not have a glass ceiling, where capability demands and decides opportunity, and that is all what new India is about.” She ended by stating that.
“This stage represents not only a civilizational empathy towards fellow living beings, but also represents grit, determination and grace.”
The Times Now Amazing Indians Awards 2023 left an indelible mark, celebrating the unwavering spirit of those who have gone above and beyond to create a positive and lasting impact on society.
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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.
