NEW DELHI: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday successfully flight tested third generation Fire & Forget Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), which has a top attack capability against a moving target.A video released from a desert test range shows a successful missile firing during a weapons trial conducted in the KK Ranges at Ahilya Nagar in Maharashtra.The footage opened with a side-rear camera view of a two-member crew positioned behind a tripod-mounted launcher, which was already elevated and locked onto the target.Moments later, the missile was fired with a bright orange-white plume and a sharp muzzle flash as the rocket motor ignited. It exited the launcher rapidly and climbed steeply, indicating a top-attack flight profile rather than a direct, flat trajectory. In the mid-flight phase, tracking footage showed the missile arcing high across the desert sky, leaving behind a thin smoke trail.In the terminal phase, captured by a separate impact camera, the missile descended almost vertically onto a designated target, believed to be an armoured vehicle or tank mock-up placed on the range. The impact triggered a bright explosion, followed by a fireball, thick black smoke, and flying debris, demonstrating a precise strike on the target’s upper surface and a successful warhead detonation.MPATGM, a shoulder-launched, portable missile system, is specifically designed to counter enemy tanks and armoured vehicles. Weighing approximately 14.5 kg, with an additional 14.25 kg for the command launch unit (CLU), the missile is a lightweight, cylindrical weapon featuring two sets of four radial fins. Its high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge warhead, combined with an operational range of 200 to 4,000 metres, makes it a formidable asset on the battlefield. The indigenously developed MPATGM consists of state-of-the-art indigenous technologies like Imaging Infrared (IIR) Homing Seeker, all electric Control Actuation System, Fire Control System, Tandem Warhead, propulsion system and high performance sighting system, which are developed by DRDO’s sister laboratories.

The Indian space program has kick-started its launch plans for 2026 with the launch of PSLV-C62, a crucial move that will involve coupling commercial satellite launchers with a high-end earth observation system.According to the latest reports available, ISRO has confirmed that there had been a technical anomaly on board the third stage of the mission during the launch of the PSLV-C62, resulting in the satellite not being in its intended orbit. This, as reported, has led the space agency to form a failure analysis committee to determine the reasons for the anomaly.

ISRO’s PSLV-C62 launch: What to know about Anvesha spy satellite and mission 2026

Anvesha is India’s new hyperspectral Earth observation spy satellite

Anvesha, officially designated EOS-N1, is a hyperspectral Earth observation satellite designed for strategic and civilian use. It can capture images across multiple light bands, allowing precise analysis of terrain, vegetation, water bodies, and man-made structures. This capability strengthens India’s surveillance, border monitoring, environmental tracking, and disaster response from space.

PSLV-C62 marked India’s first space mission of 2026

The PSLV-C62 launch on 12 January 2026 marked the beginning of India’s spaceflight calendar for the year. Lift-off took place from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The mission drew significant attention as it combined strategic payload deployment with commercial satellite launch services.

The mission was the 64th flight of ISRO’s PSLV rocket

PSLV-C62 represented the 64th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, reinforcing its status as ISRO’s most reliable and frequently used launch system. Over the years, PSLV has supported landmark missions including Chandrayaan-1, the Mars Orbiter Mission, and Aditya-L1, while also serving global commercial customers.

NewSpace India Limited handled the commercial launch operations

The mission was operated by NewSpace India Limited, the commercial arm of ISRO, and PSLV-C62 marked NSIL’s ninth dedicated commercial mission. It was to be tasked with launching the main EOS-N1 satellite along with several co-passenger satellites, demonstrating India’s increasingly important position as a trusted service provider of launch services globally.

PSLV-C62 carried 15 co-passenger satellites from India and abroad

Alongside Anvesha, the rocket carried 15 co-passenger satellites belonging to domestic and international customers. These included small satellites and technology demonstrators. Such shared launches allow multiple organisations affordable access to space while maximising the launch vehicle’s payload capacity and overall mission efficiency.

The PSLV-DL variant was used for the mission

ISRO has employed its PSLV-DL rocket in this mission, which has two solid strap-on stages. These are added to offer an enhanced thrust level. This particular model is best suited for orbital insertions that entail accurate handling. It is an attribute that has made it suitable for both strategic and commercial applications.

ISRO reported an anomaly during the third stage of flight

ISRO later confirmed that the PSLV-C62 mission experienced a technical anomaly during the third stage of flight. This prevented the satellite from being placed into its intended orbit. The space agency stated that a detailed failure analysis was initiated to identify the cause using onboard flight data.

Saurabh Mukherjea tells students to focus on AI-resistant skills

India’s white-collar job boom is over. What once grew at 11% a year is now barely 1%, warns Saurabh Mukherjea, founder of Marcellus Investment Managers. He made the stark revelation in his podcast “Coffee and Investing with Saurabh Mukherjea”, in the episode titled “No Jobs & High Debt: The Silent Middle Class Crisis.”For decades, India’s urban middle class has relied on stable office jobs, especially in the IT sector, finance, and BPO services, as a ticket to economic mobility. Today, Mukherjea says, that ticket is being revoked. The combination of tech layoffs, automation, and AI disruption is changing the rules of employment, and students who cling to old career assumptions risk being left behind.“The salaryman era is over,” Mukherjea declares. “If students do not build skills that cannot be automated, they will not just miss opportunities—they may find themselves unemployed in a shrinking job market.”

Tech layoffs and automation are eating jobs

The IT sector, long the engine of white-collar employment, is shedding roles. Large companies like Tata Consultancy Services, HCL Tech, Infosys, and Wipro are reducing headcount while adopting AI, automation, and productivity-enhancing technologies. Entry-level coding, routine customer support, and administrative tasks are increasingly being done by software and intelligent systems rather than humans.The slowdown is not restricted to tech. Finance, legal services, logistics, and media are also experiencing structural shifts as AI-driven workflows replace traditional roles. According to Mukherjea, up to 25% of current tech and customer experience jobs could vanish by 2031.For college students and recent graduates, this serves as a wake, up call. Several job roles that were earlier deemed as ‘safe’ are now vulnerable. Besides this, even top, tier companies cannot be relied on for lifelong jobs, and due to the rapid technological disruption, the time for conventional career planning is almost gone.

Students can’t afford to wait

Mukherjea’s advice is clear: waiting for a salaried job to appear is no longer a strategy—it is a gamble. Students need to adapt, learn new skills, and focus on work that AI cannot do. Skills that involve humans, like creativity, problem-solving, empathy, negotiation, and critical thinking, are now the most valuable because they are harder to automate. Jobs in areas like healthcare, education, design, and other service-based fields offer good opportunities for growth and long-term stability.Technical skills are still important, but they need to be paired with the ability to adapt. Mukherjea points out that learning AI, machine learning, cloud computing, cybersecurity, or data analytics is useful, but only if students also stay flexible, curious, and take initiative.As he bluntly puts it: “The salaryman era is over. Students must focus on building skills that cannot be automated.”

Skills that will keep you relevant

To survive—and thrive—in the new job market, students must develop a balanced combination of technical, soft, and entrepreneurial skills. From a technical perspective, knowledge of artificial intelligence and machine learning, cloud computing and cybersecurity, as well as data analytics, coding, and software development will become increasingly necessary. Similarly, soft skills like creativity, problem, solving, communication, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and leadership that help students adapt and thrive in changing work environments are just as necessary. Entrepreneurial skills are equally important, such as being a freelancer, working on some side projects, pivoting quickly, seeking new opportunities, and creating a personal brand or portfolio. Practical knowledge is most important and thus students can be encouraged to undertake micro, projects, internships, or cross, disciplinary work, because the portfolio and tangible accomplishments will speak volumes about the person’s capabilities rather than the resume only, says Mukherjea.

How to adapt to the new job market

Students who will thrive in the future are those who can adapt quickly as the job market changes. Saurabh Mukherjea advises that students focus on a few important habits to stay ahead. First, they should keep learning continuously through online courses, certifications, and workshops. This helps them gain new knowledge and skills that are in demand and prepares them for changes in the workplace. Second, students should gain practical experience by doing internships, freelance projects, or even small side ventures. Real-world experience teaches problem-solving and gives them skills that cannot be learned from books alone.Building a strong professional network is crucial. Connecting with mentors, peers, and industry professionals helps students get guidance, find opportunities, and understand job market changes. They should also stay updated on AI and automation to know which jobs are disappearing and which are emerging. Using creativity to add value in ways AI cannot, solving problems, and taking initiative will help students stay competitive and stand out in the job market.

Why this matters now

Mukherjea’s warning is quite urgent in a rapidly changing world. There is an exponential growth in AI usage, and automation is extending its reach beyond just routine tasks to areas such as customer service, marketing, legal research, and financial analysis. Many of the “entry level” jobs as they are called that exist today, may not be there in 2030.For the middle class of India, which has been relying on salaried jobs for both stability and a way to move up, it is a hard hit. The truth is that graduates have to change their mindset from seeking security to being prepared for change and development, otherwise they may not catch up in a quickly changing economy.

No safety nets: Adapt or lose out

The white collar job market is rapidly evolving, but students willing to adapt still have opportunities. Those who over time develop skills that AI will never replace, develop people, oriented skills, and adopt an entrepreneurial mindset, without doubt, will be better equipped to succeed than the previous generations.Disruption is inevitable. Survival is optional. Mukherjea’s advice: act now, build skills, and redefine what “career success” means for the 21st century.

Mani Shankar Aiyar (File photo)

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar stirred another row on Sunday after he said Hindutva is “Hinduism in paranoia,” which drew a strong response from the ruling BJP. During the debate on “Hinduism Needs Protection From Hindutva”, hosted by the Calcutta Debating Circle, Aiyar said Hindutva is a BJP leader “slapping a blind, hungry tribal girl because she attends a Christmas lunch in a Church”.Aiyar also said Hindutva asks “80 per cent of Hindus to quiver in front of 14 per cent of Muslims”.

“Hindutva is Hinduism in paranoia. It asks 80% Hindus to quiver in front of 14% Muslims. Hindutva is a BJP leader slapping a blind, hungry tribal girl because she attends a Christmas lunch in a Church. Hindutva raids shopping malls to tear down Christmas decorations,” said Aiyar during the debate. He also quoted VD Savarkar, saying that the Hindutva ideologue saw Buddhism as an existential threat to all Hindus. “He described it as the ultimate negation of Hindutva, bearing the opiate of universalism and nonviolence. He said it was disastrous to national virility and even the existence of the Hindu race,” said Aiyar, referring to Savarkar.‘Hindutva a political tract’Drawing a distinction between Hinduism and Hindutva, Aiyar said Hinduism is “a great spiritual religion, while Hindutva is a political tract.” He also said that Hinduism faced trials and tribulations yet managed to survive and flourish without any need for Hindutva’s protection.“Hinduism is a great spiritual religion. Hindutva is a political tract. Hindutva came only in 1923; for thousands of years before Hindutva, Hinduism faced trial and tribulation and yet survived, flourished, with no need of Hindutva protection… There is no way Gandhi’s and Swami Vivekananda’s Hinduism can be protected or promoted by Savarkar’s Hindutva,” Aiyar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.‘Cherishing Hinduism is Hindutva’Speaking at the same event, Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi said that Hindutva represents ‘Hindu tattva,’ which forms the core essence of Hinduism. He further argued that Hinduism is unique among religions in granting its followers the authority to debate, even on its sacred texts.“… Which culture gives you the authority to debate even on religious texts. It is only Hindu… I would like to ask why the term Hinduism? Why is ‘ism’ associated with all the religions which originated in India? Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. You have never heard of Islamism and Christianism… The ‘ism’ world is being associated just to demean, and what Hindutva is, ‘Hindu tattva’. The basic immunity of Hinduism is Hindu tattva... Another thing I would like to say, when you cherish Hinduism, it is called Hindutva,” the Trivedi said.Lashing out at Aiyar’s remark, the BJP’s national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said: “Yet again Congress attempts to create a divide between Hindus.” They want 1 Hindu to Stand up against the other Hindu. This benefits Congress whose only focus is -“Consolidate Vote Bank: Unite Minority, Divide Hindu Majority,” he said.

NEW DELHI: India batting great Virat Kohli on Sunday reflected on his illustrious career, calling it “nothing short of a dream come true” as he continues to bring joy to millions through the sport he loves.The 37-year-old added another landmark to his glittering resume during the first ODI against New Zealand, becoming the fastest batter to reach 28,000 international runs across formats. Kohli achieved the feat in his 624th innings, making him the quickest to the milestone and the second-highest run-scorer overall behind Sachin Tendulkar.

Kohli reached the landmark with a boundary off New Zealand leg-spinner Adithya Ashok. Tendulkar had taken 644 innings to reach the mark, while Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara, the only other member of the elite club, got there in 666 innings.“Honestly, if I look back at my whole journey, it’s nothing short of a dream come true. I’ve always known my abilities, when I came in and I had to work for a lot more to get to the place I am today.“God has blessed me with way too much for me to complain about anything. So I feel nothing but gratitude. I always look back at my whole journey with a lot of grace and and a lot of gratitude in my heart and I feel I feel proud about it.”Named Player of the Match for the 45th time in his career, Kohli once again enjoyed overwhelming support from fans at the venue.“I feel grateful that I’ve been put in this position. It’s a blessing to be honest. You can give so much happiness to so many people by just doing what you love to do, which is play the sport you’ve always loved as a child.“What what more can I ask for I’m literally living my dream and making people happy and see smiling faces.”Reflecting on his match-winning 93 off 91 balls, Kohli said he was not focused on personal milestones.“If I’m being brutally honest the way I’m playing right now, I’m not thinking about the milestones at all.“Honestly, if we were batting first today, I would have probably gone harder. Because there was a total on the board, I had to kind of buckle down and and play the situation. I was feeling like I want to hit more boundaries.”Asked about his more aggressive approach early in the innings in recent times, Kohli explained his mindset at the No. 3 position.“The basic idea is I batted at number three, so if the situation is a bit tricky, I backed myself to counter-attack now rather than just trying to play the situation in.“Because some ball has your name on it. So there’s no point waiting around for too long But at the same time you don’t play outrageous shots, you still stick to your strengths. But you back yourself enough to put the opposition on the back foot and that’s exactly what happened today when I walked in.“I just felt like if I push hard now in the first 20 balls, then we can probably string in a partnership straight after a wicket like Rohit’s Where the opposition is gonna go on the back foot and that actually ended up being the difference in the game.”Kohli also revealed that his trophies are sent to his mother in Gurgaon.“I send my awards to my mum, she’s proud of them. Yeah, she likes keeping all the trophies,” he said with a smile when asked if he needed a separate room for his accolades.During the chase, Kohli walked out to bat following the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, drawing a massive cheer from the crowd.Addressing the reaction, he admitted feeling uncomfortable about it.“I think it’s like different timing happens at different games, I am not really aware of it.“I honestly don’t feel good about it if I have to be honest. Same thing happens with MS. I’ve seen a lot as well. I don’t think that it’s a good feeling for the guy going out. So I do feel bad about it. I also understand the crowd, gets excited and they get happy.“So I guess it’s part of the game and I try to just focus on what I need to do and not think so much before I go to bat.”India captain Shubman Gill was full of praise for Kohli’s current form.“It’s tough to start on these pitches. Tough to replicate what he does. Hope he keeps piling on runs.”“Always feels great to chip in, especially when you’re chasing. Staying in the present is most important, esp for athletes. That’s what I try to do.”