In a stroke of incredible luck, an Indian man working in the UAE, Munavar Fairoos, clinched the Dh20-million grand prize in a lottery after faithfully purchasing tickets for the past five years. Fairoos, employed as a private driver in Al Ain, struck gold in the recent Big Ticket Live draw, with his share of the winnings amounting to approximately ₹44 crore.
However, Fairoos is not the only beneficiary of this huge win, as reports from Khaleej Times reveal that he joined forces with 30 individuals to buy the winning ticket. The substantial prize money will be distributed equally among all contributors, turning a solo triumph into a collective celebration.
When asked about his plans for the prize money, Fairoos expressed his amazement, stating, “I’m not sure yet because I really did not expect this to happen. I’m still shocked and will need to take some time to think about my options.”
Adding to the lottery success stories, another Indian, Suthesh Kumar Kumaresan, secured a Dh1 million win on the same auspicious day. A resident of Abu Dhabi, Kumaresan made the winning purchase at Abu Dhabi International Airport. He shared happily about his win, mentioning, “It was my seven-year-old daughter who chose the winning ticket numbers.” Kumaresan’s family is overjoyed about the victory, and they plan to utilize the money to buy a home in India and settle outstanding financial obligations.
Fairoos and Kumaresan are not the sole beneficiaries of the lottery riches as reported by Hindustan Times. The December 31 lucky draw also gave cash prizes worth Dh100,000 to ten more individuals, from Indian, Lebanese, Palestinian, and Saudi Arabian backgrounds.