The ongoing conflict in West Asia has reached the kitchens of India’s premier scientific institutions. From the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru to various Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) across the country, a severe shortage of commercial LPG is forcing them to adopt makeshift wood-burning stoves and open kitchens.
Usually, elaborate meals are served daily, featuring a variety of dishes such as dosas, idlis, salads, rotis, rice, and more, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. These meals cater to anywhere from 300 to 1,500 students and staff, depending on the size and nature of the institute.
However, since last week, when the supply of commercial gas cylinders was disrupted, institute administrations have been struggling to manage the situation. Students, especially those enrolled in on-campus or residential programs such as PhD or postdoctoral studies, rely heavily on the food provided by the canteen or hostel.
Most research institutes lease canteen operations to private vendors selected through an elaborate tender process, and these leases are renewed annually. The vendors procure commercial LPG for all cooking and catering services required at the institutes.
Catering teams, usually stocked with industrial burners, are now receiving deliveries of wood and bark alongside their usual orders of meat and vegetables. Institutes are using open-air fires for gas-intensive items, while saving their dwindling LPG stocks for quick-fire cooking.
Menu cuts
Last week, the administration of IISER, Pune, sent out its first email to its staff and students regarding the LPG situation.
Speaking to The Indian Express on the canteen operations at IISER, Pune, an official said, “We are monitoring the situation closely. As a precautionary measure, our catering vendors are conserving LPG by curating the menu and by using alternatives where possible.”
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The administration of the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bangalore sent an email circular on March 16 to all students and staff, stating the dire need to take immediate measures to reduce the canteen’s LPG consumption and ensure the continuity of kitchen operations and services.
“We will be temporarily suspending the services of gas-intensive items to conserve fuel and replace them with alternative menu items that require less gas to prepare. The canteen manager shall soon circulate the modified menu. This is a temporary arrangement, planned for a period of two months with effect from March 17, 2026, and will be subject to the stabilisation of supply chains,” the email said.
The food at the institution’s canteens is highly subsidised, making it popular among a diverse group of people, including students, faculty members, dependent families, and administrative, support, and contractual staff. For example, the cost of a full meal, such as a lunch or dinner thali, ranges from Rs 30 to 50.
Tea or coffee is available for Rs 5 to 10, while snacks are priced between Rs 10 and 20. In addition to the institution’s designated vendors, some larger campuses also feature cafeterias or restaurants that operate around the clock.
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“Our canteens are still managing to cook regular meals. But the private cafeterias have temporarily shut operations for the last four days,” said a student from IISER, Kolkata.
IISERs have a student strength ranging from 1,000 to 1,5000, given that these institutes host a large number of undergraduate students. There are also mid-size institutes that cater to 500-800 students per day. Some institutes have fewer than 200 students.
Makeshift fireplaces, open kitchens
Makeshift wood fireplaces and open kitchens have been temporarily set up near the existing kitchens at some institutes. Many canteens have shortened their regular menus and have temporarily removed pooris, dosas, sambar, fried snacks, and biryanis from their offerings. Since students are in hostels for only a limited number of hours each day, the mess can manage food preparation more effectively.
IISc Bengaluru, another leading institute that caters to a large student body, has also been facing an uphill task feeding the thousands of students who depend on canteen food. At least two mess services here have been closed since last weekend, students at IISc said.
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At IISER, Mohali, three canteens on campus have scaled down their operations over the last few days.
“The canteen is serving food, but the menu offers limited food choices,” said a senior official at the institute.
At Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut, the administration is struggling to make ends meet and foresees the canteen’s closure soon unless the LPG situation improves.
It has also been learned that conferences, seminars, and other academic gatherings, where visiting faculty, students, and academicians usually gather for two to five days, have been asked to offer limited food menus or switch to high tea and snacks, wherever possible.
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The guest houses and on-campus residences are not accepting new bookings due to the LPG crisis.
Even laboratory operations, which sometimes rely on gas-based heating for experiments, are beginning to feel the squeeze.
