News Broadcasting
Blackberry Q5 partners with UN India Centre and DDB MudraMax to celebrate International Day of Youth
Mumbai, 12 August, 2013: Blackberry Q5 partnered with the United Nations India Centre and DDB MudraMax, in Mumbai, to host a celebration to commemorate the “International Day of Youth” on 12th August 2013. With over 150 students from across the city’s colleges, young entrepreneurs, diplomats, changemakers and representatives from the media industry, the event included motivational talks by Dr Rajan Welukar (Vice Chancellor, Mumbai University), Dr Satyapal Singh (Commissioner of Police, Mumbai), Mr Mathew Spacie (Founder, Magic Bus), Mr Shailendra Singh (Jt M.D, Percept India) and Ms Shaili Chopra (Business Editor, Tehelka Maganize), film maker Madhur Bhandkar, Devita Saraf CEO VU Technologies amongst others.
On 17 December 1999, in its resolution 54/120, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day.
The theme of International Youth Day 2013 is “Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward”.
Mr. Rajiv Chandran, National Information Office, United Nations India Centre also presented a special message by UN Secretary General
Mr. Ban Ki-Moon.
“The power of youth is hard to ignore for any country now. At BlackBerry we believe that young people are often the vanguard of technological and social changes that are brought in the world. Technology and Youth is a combination which would be driving the era we belong to. New high-tech gears are growing and essentially changing the means youngsters can interact and communicate. Not surprisingly they are using the most technologically innovative mediums to express themselves, be it to their friends, family or society at large. Keeping this in mind, to address this segment we came up with a youth-targeted BlackBerry Q5. With the revolutionary BlackBerry Q5, running on the BlackBerry 10 platform, our aim to empower the youth further and enable them to express themselves in the most progressive way possible,” said Ashish Gupta, Director, Marketing, Blackberry India.
“This day signifies the role of youth in transforming dialogue to action. The under 35s today enjoy great power to influence our society and it is critical that we create platforms for them to engage with leaders by whom they can be motivated and inspired. At DDB Mudra Max, we are proud to have collaborated with Blackberry and the United Nations to celebrate India’s continuously growing and extremely diverse youth segment”. Mandeep Malhotra, President, DDB MudraMax – OOH, Retail & Experiential.
“Young people make up a significant share of the global number of international migrants. In 2010, there were an estimated 27 million international young migrants. While migration can often offer valuable opportunities and contribute to the development of communities and society at large, it can also pose risks and lead to unacceptable situations, including discrimination and exploitation. The 2013 observance of International Youth Day will raise awareness of the opportunities and risks associated with youth migration, share knowledge and information stemming from recent research and analysis on this topic, and engage young people in discussions on their migration experiences” explains Samyak Chakrabarty, Chief Youth Marketer, DDB Mudra Group.
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.
