Astra tested 5 times, ‘ready’ for induction

New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation on Thursday said the Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) has been tested five times from the Sukhoi-30 MKI platform off the coast of Chandipur, Odisha. “The five successful trials of Astra will culminate into induction of the missile system into the Indian Air Force,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said. TNS

Six Kerala friends win Rs 12-crore lottery 

Thiruvananthapuram: Dame luck smiled on six friends working at a jewellery outlet in Kollam district on Thursday as they hit the jackpot, jointly winning the first prize of Rs 12 crore in the Onam bumper lottery. Ronni, Vivek, Rajiv, Subin Thomas, Rimjin and Ratheesh had pooled in to purchase two tickets of Rs 300 each from a vendor, of which one turned out to be the winning ticket. After the mandatory deductions of 10 per cent agency commission, income tax and surcharges, the winners would get around Rs 7 crore. ians

Super 30 founder Anand felicitated in US

Washington: Super 30 founder and noted mathematician Anand Kumar has been felicitated in the US with a teaching award for his contributions towards imparting education to the needy students. The Education Excellence Award 2019 was presented to Anand, 46, by the Foundation For Excellence on the occasion of the organisation’s 25th anniversary gala in California, over the weekend. Anand has been running an innovative ‘Super- 30’ programme for 18 years to mentor 30 students free of cost for IIT-JEE. PTI