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In collaboration with TSPs, Trai plans to bring new blockchain tech to curb spam calls and messages
Mumbai: On Monday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said that it is working on various technologies to detect spam calls and messages using blockchain technology.
Along with this, the regulator is taking action to form a joint committee of regulators (JCOR) consisting of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities & Exchanges Board of India (SEBI) and the ministry of consumer affairs (MoCA). The committee will be responsible for framing a joint action plan to curb financial fraud using telecom resources.
In an official meeting held on 10 November, attended by representatives of the department of telecommunications (DoT) and the ministry of home affairs (MHA), the measures to further reduce UCC were thoroughly discussed.
“Now complaints are reported against unregistered telemarketers (UTMs), where a surge has been seen in pushing various kinds of UCC SMSs,” said the official statement. “Additionally, UCC calls are also one of the concerns which need to be dealt with equally along with UCC SMSes.”
Trai is taking the necessary steps, in collaboration with various stakeholders, to check UCC from UTMs as well. Implementation of the UCC detect system, provision of digital consent acquisition, intelligent scrubbing of the header and message templates using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and so on are among the steps involved.
To combat the threat of spam calls and messages, the authority has issued the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018, which established a blockchain-based ecosystem known as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT).
DLT, the first of its kind in the telecom industry, has increased transparency among TSPs and regulators in the management of spam and UCC.
The regulation mandates the registration of all commercial promoters and telemarketers to register on the DLT platform and seek customer consent for receiving various kinds of promotional messages at the time and day of their choice.
Under the framework, about 2.5 lakh principal entities have been registered, with more than six lakh headers and approximately 55 lakh approved message templates, which are being pushed to consumers through registered telemarketers and TSPs using DLT platforms.
The regulator said that the framework has resulted in a substantial reduction of customer complaints, to the extent of 60 per cent for registered telemarketers. However, non-registered callers continue to spam mobile subscribers.
“Trai also runs various campaigns to educate consumers, make them aware of provisions and safeguards in the regulations, and alert them to such fraudulent messages,” it said.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
