News Broadcasting
TVTN Q3 net profit up 14.12 % YoY
MUMBAI: For Aroon Purie’s TV Today Network (TVTN), the second fortnight of January started with one bang and ended with another. Fortunately for the company, both resonated with positive vibrations. After listing on the BSE on 16 January at a premium of 132 per cent over its issue price of Rs 95, the media hotshot has come up with a positive third quarter report card.
Q3 net profit up 14.12 per cent YoY to Rs 101 million
Q3 revenues up 23.68 per cent YoY to Rs 415.8 million
TVTN that owns and operates popular news channel Aaj Tak has posted a healthy growth of 14.12 per cent in its third quarter net profit over the corresponding quarter in the previous fiscal. The net profit for the quarter ending 31 December 2003 stands at Rs 101 million vis-?-vis Rs 88.5 million in the third quarter of 2002. Aggregate revenues for the quarter stand at Rs 415.8 million, which is up 23.68 per cent year on year (YoY) from Rs 336.2 million in the same quarter last fiscal.
Taking away from the profits is a 40.25 per cent YoY increase in TVTN’s total expenditure, which was largely because TVTN’s English news channel, Headlines Today that was launched in March 2003 was moved to a new studio in December 2003. The aggregate expenditure stands at Rs 227.5 million in Q3 2004 from Rs 162.2 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.
The over 40 per cent YoY rise in expenditure is drawn from the hike in the company’s production and transmission costs, which shot up 68 per cent to Rs 49.6 million in Q3 2004 over Rs 29.5 million in Q3 2003. The company also clocked a 40 per cent YoY rise in other expenses.
For the nine months ended 31 December 2003, TVTN notched up net profits of Rs 226.8 million against Rs 194.4 million in the previous corresponding period. This translates into a 16.67 per cent hike in net profit. The company clocked aggregate revenues of Rs 978.8 million for the nine months ended 31 December 2003, which is up 25.63 per cent from Rs 779.1 million in the corresponding previous period.
Basic and diluted earnings per share for the third quarter stands at Rs 2.10 vis-?-vis second quarter’s Rs 1.91.
The TV Today scrip debuted on the stock exchanges on 16 January in a correctional market phase with an impressive high of Rs 225 in the very first minute of commencing trade. However, in today’s date, the stock has pared down 19.19 per cent to Rs 146.55 from its first day’s close of Rs 181.35. A cross section of market analysts believe that the stock is still over weight at these levels and will settle at Rs 150-170 levels once the initial excitement over the stock settles down.
Note: The results declared are unaudited third quarter financial results.
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.
