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TRAI invites proposals for empanelment of auditors to carry DAS audit
MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has invited proposals from audit firms for empanelment in the panel of Auditors to carry out the audit of digital addressable systems.
The audit agency shall meet the following eligibility conditions for empanelment in the panel of Auditors:
1. It shall be a company registered under the Companies Act 2013, OR an LLP under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 or a registered Partnership Firm under the Partnership Act, 1932, OR a proprietorship firm registered with ICAI as an audit firm;
2. It shall have a minimum average annual turnover of Rs 50 lakh in the immediate two preceding financial years for national level empanelment or for more than one regional level empanelment or Rs 25 lakh in the immediate two preceding financial years for empanelment in only one regional area;
3. It shall have experience, either on its own or through any of its partner/employee of (i) at least one year in the audit of Digital Addressable System (DAS) [Subscriber Management System (SMS)/ Conditional Access System (CAS)] (technical and/or subscription) of distributors; or (ii) at least one year in the audit of billing and metering and/or payment and prepaid charging system involving the use of software tools and/or banking IT system;
4. It shall have at least three full-time professionals from among Chartered Accountant (CA)/ Company Secretary (CS)/Cost Accountant (CoA)/ Graduate Engineer, and at least one of the three professionals should be a Chartered Accountant (CA)/ Company Secretary (CS)/Cost Accountant (CoA). Such professionals should be full time partners or employees working with the Audit Agency since at-least six months prior to the date of application;
5. The company/ LLP/ firm or any of its professional shall not have been disqualified or blacklisted by any department of State Government/Central Government or any Bank or Financial Institution or any statutory body or any professional body. Further, the Company/ LLP/ firm or any of its professional should not have been held guilty of criminal misconduct at any point of time
6. The applicant should be well-versed with the broadcasting and distribution industry and shall be proficient in understanding the network head-end setup, customer and system lifecycle knowledge and integration of customer details in SMS and CAS
7. The applicant should be independent of broadcasting service providers and should not have any direct or indirect involvement or interest in the design, construction, operation or maintenance of software such as CAS/SMS/Middleware/Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) or hardware/electronic devices used in digital addressable systems of a service provider. Further, neither any director/ partner/ key managerial personnel of the applicant firm nor its any audit personnel should have held in last one year or should be currently holding the similar position in the company which is involved in the business of broadcasting and distribution activities.
The empanelment process shall be continuous and henceforth may be carried out on monthly basis i.e. a proposal may be submitted by last working day of a month for the next round of empanelment. An applicant shall apply only once till TRAI informs it about acceptance/rejection of its proposal. TRAI shall inform all the applicants whether they have been empanelled or their application has been rejected. An applicant once rejected shall not be eligible to re-apply for 12 months from the date of intimation of such rejection.
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.
