News Broadcasting
Total Sports Asia going mobile with WWE
MUMBAI: The recently launched integrated sports marketing company Total Sports Asia (TSA) is trying its level best to tap a growing revenue stream for entertainment products – The mobile.
The company has signed a deal with a major Indian content provider for mobile telephony rights for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
TSA is the WWE Asian representative for television distribution, licensing, merchandising and event management. Speaking to indiantelevision.com Total Sports & Entertainment India MD, Indian Subcontinent and Middle East Navneet Sharma said, “An official announcement of the deal will be made in about a month’s time. Our partner will negotiate deals with all the service providers whether it is hutch or Airtel. Customers, for a fee, will be able to download wallpaper, text news headlines ringtones and ringback tones. As of now we have not decided as to when we will also offer audio and video services. This will depend on the available bandwith. The deal will work in the form of a minimum gurantee along with revenue sharing.”
Sharma added that the company was adopting a 360 degree approach to pushing and marketing the WWE. It has also signed a deal with Weekender for a line of apparel. “Since WWE is synonymous with finely sculpted physiques, health food brands see a big opportunity here. We are talking to several parties in this category. In this way we have been able to segementalise the different categories. In the watch category we have a deal with Impact Promotions. WWE has an enormous cachet in India when you examine the fact that it gets highest TRPs in sports after cricket.”
One major deal that is already in place is with Ultra for VCDs. Sharma added that TSA is hoping to bring down the WWE to India early next year. As far as other sports are concerned it is also looking at organising running events like marathons in the country early next year. For this purpose it is talking to major FMCGs to come on board as partners and sponsors.
This sounds like a sound move. It may be recalled that the Mumbai Marathon (sponsored by Standard Chartered) in January drew an excellent response. The profile of the marathon in India has risen a great deal as the Mumbai marathon saw celebrities and people in the public limelight like Anil Ambani taking part and treating it as a serious part of their lives.
TSA is also into television distribution of different sports. It will appoint a head for TV distribution for the Indian subcontinent next month. Sharma added that one property that they are looking at pitching to the likes of Star, Sony and Zee in a big way is Latin American soccer. That is because it has a deal with Traffic Sports which virtually owns Latin American football.
“We would be looking to market World Cup qualifying matches in Latin America. We also see an opportunity to work with new channels that are coming up and which will be looking for content (read Zee Sports). We will also approach regional channels.”
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.
