Indian expat hits Dh1 million jackpot in UAE

  DUBAI – Eight Indian expatriates—including a man who has bought tickets in the last ten years—became new millionaires after they won the top prize in the recent Big Ticket draw in Abu Dhabi. The Indian nationals were among 10 winners—including a Filipina nurse and a Canadian man—in the monthly raffle draw at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Abhaya Kumar Vennarathil Krishnan, 49, said he was in disbelief when he received a call informing him about his win. “When I received a second call from the Big Ticket organisers, I was pleasantly shocked,” said Krishnan, a purchasing manager for a supermarket in Abu Dhabi. Krishnan has been living in Abu Dhabi since 1994 and has been buying the ticket to Abu Dhabi’s longest-running raffle draw in the last 10 years. This is the first time he has hit the jackpot. Krishan said he will be sharing the Dh1 million cash prize with a friend. Another winner, Kishore Kumar Reddy Beesireddygari, said he was “pleasantly shocked” when he received a call about winning Dh1 million. Beesireddygari, an optometrist in Dubai, said he will be sharing the cash prize with three friends and will be pocketing Dh250,000. He said the money will be used to build his dream home in India as well as pay off his loan in Dubai. Chandresh Motivaras, 43, will also be sharing his cash prize with three other friends. The Dubai-based accountant said he was excited to claim his prize but that he has not made any plans on what he is going to spend it on. Ajman-based jewellery designer Sundaran Nalamkandathil, 47, will be sharing his prize with 19 people and said he will be using his share of the prize for his niece’s wedding in December. The Big Ticket Millionaire is the longest-running monthly raffle draw in Abu Dhabi, with each ticket costing Dh500. Anyone buying two tickets get the third one free. ICA/Expat Media

List of winners

Leilani Quijano Del Rosario, Philippines Sayef Ali, Canada Abhaya Kumar Vennarathil Krishnan, India Muthukumar Sanjeevi, India Sundaran Nalamkandathil, India Sameet Tinore, India Chandresh Motivaras, India Kishore Kumar Reddy Beesireddygari, India Afsar Pasha Ali, India Sharafudheen Tharakkaveetil Sainudhee, 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