Indian, who escaped from EK521, receives $1 million cheque

Dubai - The winner of the earlier Millennium Millionaire in Series no. 222 with ticket no. 0845, Mr. Mohammed Basheer Abdul Khadar, was on hand to receive the ceremonial cheque for US$1 million.

Congratulatory phone calls, interviews to the press, and visits from friends and family -- Mohammed Basheer's life after winning Dubai Duty Free raffle worth $1million has been nothing short of exciting.
The 62-year-old Indian expat was among the 282 passengers who had a miraculous escape from the Emirates flight which met with an accident while landing at Dubai International Airport a few backs week.
Not once, but TWICE lucky, yet after receiving the million-dollar cheque yesterday, he says he feels "nothing".
"I am completely blank and speechless. The only feeling I have at this moment is gratefulness to god for keeping me alive and healthy," an excited Basheer told Khaleej Times, referring to the Emirates incident.
"I would buy a millionaire ticket whenever I travelled through Dubai airport. This is my 17th ticket."
The Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire ticket he purchased while on his way to India on vacation for Eid on July 6 brought him the luck.
Also Read: Miraculous escape from EK521 to win $1 million
Basheer, who works with Al Tayer Motors, will complete his one year extension at work in December and 37 years of his UAE life. "If the company wants me to stay back and gives me an extension, I will continue with the job. Otherwise, I will go back to Kerala," says Basheer when asked if he would invest this money in a business in the UAE.
So what will he do with this huge sum of money?
Basheer's wife and two children live in a village in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. However he says he doesn't want to just give the money to his family or friends.
"If I simply give this money to my children or others in the family without making them do any hard work, they will never understand the money's worth. I will also not donate this money to charity," he added.
Basheer's idea of putting the money into "good use" is to invest it in generating employment for others in his home town in Kerala.
"I would like to invest in agriculture and farming. These days we see people running only after money and in the process they ignore their health. I want to provide good quality food to people in my state so that they maintain a healthy lifestyle," he told Khaleej Times.
Soon after retirement, Basheer says he would return to Kerala and start farming in his village.
"My retirement plan is simple. I love farming. That would also help needy people and others in my community," he added.
WATCH interview: Indian who won $1 million after escape from EK521, speaks to Khaleej Times

• Dubai
• India