News Broadcasting
India TV’S ‘Chunav Manch Up’ creates national headlines
MUMBAI: India TV’s UP election conclave made national headlines when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister gave his first and frank reaction on reports of family feud. Akhilesh Yadav chose AapKi Adalat at India TV’s full-day mega conclave Chunav Manch – Uttar Pradesh to state that he wants the final say on selection of candidates of his party for the coming assembly elections. His assertion created thunderous & rippling national headlines.
Riding on the towering scale of execution, enviable line-up of participation, precise timing & India TV’s editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma himself leading the charge with a series of power packed Aap Ki Adalat – Chunav Manch Specials, compelled rival news channels to cut India TV Mega Conclave live.
While the Hyper-Political Uttar Pradesh continued riddling the fervent political watchers and the most able national media, India TV yet again triumphed in delving top-end and exclusive content right from the epicenter of activity, Lucknow, that was picked up by none but all of the National Media at real time.
While UP’s first family showed no signs of recouping from the feud it has found itself into & while speculations were at its peak, India TV Chunav Manch saw UP CM Akhilesh Yadav & his Uncle & Senior SP Leader Shivpal Yadav in two separate exclusives, those had the entire nation, including the top media organizations glued.
Other big headlines came from no less than BJP National President Amit Shah, BJP State President Keshav Maurya, Congress State President Raj Babbar, Cabinet Minister Anupriya Patel, SP MP Naresh Agarwal amongst top National & State Politicians like Congress MP PL Punia, EX- UP BJP Chief Laxmikant Bajpai, Maharashtra SP Chief Abu Azmi, BJP MLA Sangeet Som, Congress Leader & Former MoS Home Affairs RPN Singh, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress MLA Pramod Tiwari, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, SP Leader Ambika Chaudhary, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, Congress Leader & Former MoS HRD Jitin Prasad, SP Spoksperson Gaurav Bhatia, BJP Spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, Congress Leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh amongst others.
India TV MD & CEO Ritu Dhawan on the success of India TV Chunav Manch conceded, “Though we were sure that we will raise the bar for our industry peers with sheer scale & concept of execution itself, but we are elated to be able to match our audiences high expectations in terms of power content created through the effort.”
“We compete only with ourselves” She added while highlighting the strategic punctuation of a couple of Aap Ki Adalat Chunav Manch Specials.
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.
