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NDTV and L’Oréal Paris host ‘Women of Worth’ Conclave
MUMBAI: With the aim of making the ‘Women of Worth’ initiative bigger and showcasing its commitment towards the cause, L’Oréal Paris in partnership with NDTV hosted ‘Women of Worth’ conclave on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
Distinguished personalities and influencers from across the country were invited to participate in the discussion that tried to touch upon key women related issues that are plaguing modern India and the role played by the women in our lives in today’s age and time.
Divided into four sessions, the panel discussion brought to the forefront some hard hitting points on women’s issues like gender equality, pay parity, safety for women in India and the position of women in the corporate world. The afternoon was opened by Dr. Prannoy Roy, Executive Co-Chairperson, NDTV Group.
Welcoming the panelists, Jean-Christophe Letellier, Managing Director, L’Oréal India,said, “L’Oréal believes that true beauty is about transforming people’s lives. That’s why ‘Women of Worth’ as a platform is extremely close to our heart. We believe it’s our duty to inspire and encourage more women to develop initiatives that will create new opportunities to change our lives, and of course also change the course of how the world sees them. Through initiatives like Women of Worth, we’d like to celebrate brilliant examples of beauty in diversity and talent that does not take into account the gender or ethnicity of the person”
Session 1: We, The Unequal
Panellists: Priya Dutt (politician) Anjum Chopra (Former Indian Cricket Team Captain) Naina Lal Kidwai(Chairperson, Max Financial), Manashi Guha(VP-Marketing, L’Oréal India), Suhel Seth (Managing Partner, Counselage India) and Harshavardhan Neotia, (President FICCI &Chairaman, AmbujaNeotia Group)
· The session highlighted how modern women have to fight inequalities across industries – and women in general command lesser remuneration than men, quality of work notwithstanding
· Panellists unanimously agreed that women need to market themselves better, stand up for each other a lot more, and that we also need to create a more robust social infrastructure in this country for women
· Suhel Seth, “There are three issues that we need to discuss. We men don’t respect women as much as we should; We treat women as objects of benevolence or patronage, which is abominable; Our laws don’t support women as much as they should. We cannot have gender quotas, we must have gender respect.”
Session 2: Financial Empowerment of Women in India
Panellists:Anjolie Ela Menon (Artist), Dr.Syeda S Hameed (Former member of the Planning Commission), Preeti Malhotra (Chairperson, ASSOCHAM), Jayant Krishna (CEO, National Skill Development Corporation) and Vineet Nayar (Founder, Sampark, Foundation & Former CEO, HCL, Technologies)
· Emphasis on how more corporates need to support the aspirations of women to establish successful careers across industries
· Preeti Malhotra said, “You need to get women into decision making positions. Only then will gender parity increase and you will see more women-friendly policies.”
Session 3: Looking Back, Looking forward
Panellists: Arati Devi (Sarpanch, Dhunkapada, Odisha), Justice Leila Seth, Raghu Rai (photographer), Nidhi Dubey (Country Director, Girl Rising) and Farooq Abdullah (Politician)
· Focused on young girls and boys having their own growth space and the need to provide holistic education at the grass root level
· Mr. Abdullah said, “While women have their education degrees, the government and the corporates need to do more to channelize their future.”
· Justice Seth said, “While there are changes in law and society, the mindset of people is slow to change and this is the biggest challenge we face.”
Session 4: The Way We See Women
Panellists: Shabana Azmi(Actress),Vrinda Grover (Lawyer, Researcher, Human Rights & Women’s Rights Activist),Shiv Vishwanathan(Social Scientist) and KalpanaVishwanath(Co-founder Safetipin, Former Chief of Jagori) and Kalilkesh Singh Deo (Politician)
· Key points were raised regarding the prejudice that exists in India towards how a girl is viewed in society and is expected to behave
· Commenting on the way women in Bollywood are positioned, Shabana Azmi said, “Filmmakers and artists have to exercise self-regulation in how we project women, objectifying and commodifying women is wrong.”
Speaking at the conclave, Vikram Chandra, CEO NDTV Group said, “On International Women’s Day, we must take a pledge to promote and protect the right of every woman in the world. NDTV as a media house has always supported women’s empowerment. We are proud to be associated with the Women of Worth campaign that has stood for this cause globally and has applauded women who have made a significant impact on society. The conclave was an excellent gathering of like-minded people to share their thoughts and solutions for a promising future for women around the world.”
Praising the enthusiastic participation from the panelists, Mr. Satyaki Ghosh, Director, Consumer Products Division, L’Oréal India concluded the event saying,“It was wonderful to see such passionate flow of opinions regarding the various issues discussed today. I would like to laud all the panellists present here who took time out from their schedule to participate in this initiative. Women have the same aspirations, abilities and qualities that men do and therefore they should have equal opportunities to develop their faculties. It is time we come out with more initiatives like ‘Women of Worth’ that recognize individual identity of women and make the women of our country feel that they are absolutely ‘worth it!’
The L’Oréal Paris ‘Women of Worth’awards recognize the achievements of women who possess a strong personality, are sensitive to needs of the society and a pillar of support and strength in all walks of life. The nominees have been shortlisted after an extensive research process while identifying each one’s key contribution in their respective fields. These unique awards felicitate ‘Women of Worth’, while celebrating the many facets of their inspirational journey.
Through a public voting system in conjunction with jury inputs, the campaign will end in March 20th, 2016. A transparent and well-structured voting system for the public will be set up to ensure that the most deserving nominees win. A glittering ceremony, where the nominees will be awarded the ‘Women of Worth’ titles, will be held in Mumbai on 28thMarch 2016.
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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.
