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Indian wins Dh7 million jackpot in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi - His first priority is to pay off bank loans in his home country.

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Indian expat Sreeraj Krishnan Kopparembil will wake up as a millionaire on Monday. The 33-year-old shipping coordinator has won a whopping Dh7 million in the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket Draw announced on March 5.

"I just went blank for a minute when I got the call from the Big Ticket. I still cannot believe it has happened," said an elated Krishnan, from the south Indian state of Kerala. He has been working in the UAE for the last nine years.

"I am now convinced my lucky number is 44698," said Krishnan alluding to his ticket number. Though a regular buyer of Big Ticket, Krishnan said he has never won anything before. "This time when I bought the ticket, I had decided it would be my last try. And as luck would have it, this is definitely my last buy," said Krishnan who earns Dh6,000 in monthly salary.

So what would he do with all this money? "My first priority is to pay off my housing loans back in India. That is what my wife also wants me to do," said Krishnan who is married to Ashwathi. She works as an administrative assistant in a private firm.

The couple said they want to continue working in the UAE. "Why would I leave this country where we got lucky?"

"I am a matured person who wants to stay grounded. I don't have any extraordinary plans for life as of now. I will let the excitement settle and think it through," said Krishnan.
anjana@khaleejtimes.com

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