Bakery salesman from India wins Dh12 million in Big Ticket Abu Dhabi raffle

Dubai - He has been living in the UAE for 27-28 years.

Yet another expat has fulfilled his dreams in the UAE. Assain Muzhippurath, an Indian salesman at a bakery in Ajman, has hit Dh12 million at the Big Ticket draw held in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Now Muzhippurath will be able to return to his native state of Kerala and settle down there with his wife Shareefa, teenage daughters Sana Fatima and Alaa Fatima, a dream he is seeing and praying for the past few months.

"I am 47 years old. I have spent 27-28 of those years in the UAE. You see, we all expats always dream of returning home one day. I have a steady job as a salesman and doing well despite the impact of Covid-19 on the market. But for some time now I also started having thoughts of going back. However, after all these years I couldn't save much. So I started testing my luck for past 4-5 times and got lucky this time around. I have bought this ticket alone and am not sharing with anyone else."

And now he can fulfil his dream of starting his own business in home town of Kozhikode district.

"I had my family here but now they are back in Kerala. I can now afford to settle down there."

However, Muzhippurath hasn't decided on his immediate future.

"This lottery is unexpected. Actually I thought it was a prank call. So when they called I just said 'Mashallah, thank you' and disconnected and returned to work. But soon I realised, it's real. Anyhow, I will carry on my work for a while and take a call. I can afford to decide my future."

Before all that it's time to celebrate with his friends.

"Yes, it's going to be party time with them."

Muzhippurath bought his lucky ticket, no. 139411 on Thursday, May 14.

"I would like to say thank you to Big Ticket for giving me the chance to win and change my life."

And now, the biggest raffle draw just got bigger because for the first time in Big Ticket history, the draw includes 15 more prizes apart from Dh15 jackpot. The draw will be held on July 3.

• Abu Dhabi