Indian expat wins whopping $2.7 million in Abu Dhabi raffle; says wants to help people in Kerala

What would you do if you turn into a millionaire in just one day? Well, tough to visualise, right? Yes, indeed, it will be a dream come true. And, notably, exactly this has come to pass for an Indian expat in Abu Dhabi. It has been announced that Sanjai Nath R has won 10 million dirhams ($2.7 million) in a raffle held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. While Sanjai Nath R won the first prize, five other Indian expats were in the top 10 winning list of the Big Ticket Abu Dhabi raffle. Last month, Shojith KS, an Indian national from Sharjah, became a first prize winner of the Big Ticket raffle after winning 15 million dirhams.

Big Ticket is the largest and longest running monthly raffle draw for cash prizes and luxury cars in Abu Dhabi. Tickets can be purchased online or at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Al Ain Duty Free and City Terminal Abu Dhabi.

Last week, another Indian expat had won big in Dubai. PR Ratheesh Kumar, a native of Kottayam district in Kerala, won the maximum $1 million (close to Rs 7 crore) Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Raffle on last Tuesday. Kumar works as a finance manager at a private firm in Dubai. He got a call Tuesday morning from DDF authorities who confirmed that he had bagged the bonanza. 

"I went into a state of shock. I’m getting a lot of calls so I’m slowly believing the news. I’m not someone who buys the coupon regularly. When I bought the coupon this time, I didn’t expect to win," he  told the local media. Kumar lives with his wife in Dubai and had bought the coupon on April 2. He said that the win is sweeter as it came on the holy month of Ramzan.

He was yet to decide where he would spend the money but hopes to help out the people back home. “Post floods, the people of Kerala have gone through arduous circumstances. I want to help in whichever way I can. Not just now, I have tried to help in my own way even before,” he said.

The DDF raffle began in the year 1999 and has turned hundreds of people millionaires overnight. The tickets are sold online and at kiosks at the Dubai airport. They are priced at 1000 dirhams excluding VAT. 

There are also separate raffle draws with luxury cars and bikes as prize.

This is not the first time that Malayalis, or even Indians in general, have won the bumper lottery of the DDF.