News Broadcasting
Zee 24 Taas makes noise with Ganpati coverage that wins viewer devotion
MUMBAI: When Maharashtra welcomed its favourite elephant-headed god this year, Zee 24 Taas ensured no modak went unshared and no mandap went unseen. The channel rolled out wall-to-wall coverage of Ganesh Utsav 2025, blending ritual, revelry and reportage into a festival broadcast that stretched from the narrowest lanes of Pune to the furthest corners of the world.
The scale was nothing short of spectacular. With live, on-ground reporting from major mandals across urban centres and rural outposts, Zee 24 Taas captured the devotion, colour and cultural vibrancy of the state’s most celebrated festival. Viewers not only saw the grandeur of Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja and Pune’s Dagdusheth Halwai mandal but also felt the pulse of smaller towns, where local communities brought their own flair to the festivities.
And it wasn’t just Maharashtra tuning in. Through robust digital-first initiatives, including live streaming, interactive updates, mobile feeds and social media engagement, the coverage reached audiences across six continents, making it a truly global Ganesh Utsav. Diaspora viewers joined in real time, watching rituals, immersions and mandal visits unfold alongside political developments and community stories.
Zee 24 Taas also went beyond just visuals, curating special programming that delved into the history, traditions and evolving practices of Ganesh Chaturthi. From exploring how eco-friendly celebrations are reshaping idol-making to telling stories from rural Maharashtra, the shows added depth, giving the festival both cultural context and contemporary relevance. Citizen voices, community stories and ground-level experiences further enriched the mix, ensuring the coverage felt participatory rather than just observational.
Brands, too, took note. Leading advertisers partnered with the channel to tap into millions of festive viewers, leveraging Zee 24 Taas’ reputation as Maharashtra’s most trusted news destination. Even amid major political events dominating headlines, the channel balanced hard news with devotional fervour keeping audiences informed without diluting the festival spirit.
The channel’s leadership called it a defining moment. managing editor Kamlesh Sutar described Ganesh Utsav as “a reflection of Maharashtra’s culture, traditions and collective spirit” and praised the team for capturing both the energy of the celebrations and the news pulse of the state. Meanwhile ZMCL CEO Karan Abhishek Singh pointed out how the coverage underscored the network’s commitment to immersive, accurate and engaging journalism extending from television to mobile screens.
By uniting festival storytelling with timely reportage and global digital integration, Zee 24 Taas has set a new benchmark for what festival journalism can look like. This year’s Ganpati wasn’t just covered, it was celebrated, streamed and shared across the globe. And in the process, Zee 24 Taas showed why, in Maharashtra, it remains the channel where devotion meets credible journalism.
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.
