29-year-old scoops multi-rupee-million share of $1 million Dubai Duty Free draw
Fortune has struck early for a young Indian expatriate in the UAE, who bagged a massive cash prize just months into his first overseas job, reported gulfnews.com.
Sreeraj MR, a 29-year-old accounts assistant from Kerala, became the joint winner of the Dubai Duty Free (DDF) Millennium Millionaire draw on Wednesday. Having moved to Dubai only in April, he now takes home Dh917,500 (25% of the $1 million prize).
The remaining 75% was won by his colleague, Pradeep Chalatan, a long-time participant who had been trying his luck in the draw for over a decade
Jackpot within months of moving to Dubai
Overjoyed at his early stroke of luck, Sreeraj said: “Dubai is really lucky for me. When Pradeep asked me if I wanted to try my luck and join him in buying the ticket, I thought, why not? I wasn’t regular in buying tickets back home and I never won. I never expected to win so early.”
Pradeep, who finally hit the jackpot after years of perseverance, laughed off the coincidence: “We never know if it is his luck that favoured us this time. I think he is luckier.”
Life-changing moment
Recalling the winning call, Sreeraj said he was stunned: “When he (Pradeep) told me, I just couldn’t believe it … I asked him many times to confirm. It was only after that I called up home and told my parents. Thank you DDF.”
The young bachelor, who resides in Karama, is now also thinking about his future: “Yes, I can show your report and seek alliance,” he joked, hinting at marriage plans, though he added that he would only reveal the news to his future fiancée once things are finalised.
Both winners requested not to have their photographs published, citing privacy concerns.
