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TRAI tests digital consent alerts with select mobile users
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has switched on a small but significant experiment that could finally tidy up the messy world of promotional consent. Under a joint pilot with the Reserve Bank of India, a handful of mobile users will soon receive SMS alerts inviting them to review the marketing permissions they once handed out, often without a second thought.
For years, customers have been able to block or allow promotional messages under the 2018 commercial communication rules. In theory, businesses were meant to record these permissions in a Digital Consent Registry. In practice, older consents stuck in paper forms, in-store systems and scattered databases made the system patchy and opaque. Consumers had no simple way to see or revoke what they had already agreed to, leaving the promise of a clean consent framework largely unfulfilled.
TRAI and RBI are now trying to fix that. Their Digital Consent Acquisition pilot brings together nine telecom operators and eleven major banks including SBI, PNB, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Canara Bank. Over recent months, they have built a shared platform and begun uploading sample batches of legacy consents to test how well the new system works.
Only a small group of customers will be looped into this test phase. Those whose past consents have been uploaded may receive a message from short code 127000. The SMS will carry a secure link leading to a consent management page run by their mobile operator. There, users can browse the consents listed against their number and decide whether to keep them, tweak them or pull the plug entirely.
No financial details will be asked for at any stage and acting on the message is optional. Those who do not receive an SMS can relax as the pilot is deliberately limited in scale. A wider rollout is expected only after the system proves it can handle the country’s vast tangle of old permissions.
If all goes to plan, this quiet pilot could set the stage for a cleaner, clearer and far more consumer-friendly consent regime.
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.
