‘My money is still in ICU’: Indian expat who won Dh15 million hasn’t spent his prize yet

Apart from buying a car and giving parties to his friend, this Abu Dhabi-based Indian expat hasn’t splurged on anything else

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Photo by Ashwani Kumar

Published: Thu 19 Oct 2023, 6:30 PM

Last updated: Fri 20 Oct 2023, 11:10 AM

Winning a lottery jackpot and becoming an overnight millionaire is a life-changing moment. However, bagging two grand prizes of the Abu Dhabi Big Ticket and other lucky draws hasn’t changed the lifestyle of Pradeep Kumar.

In May this year, Kumar won Dh15 million – an amount he shared with his two other friends. And to date, apart from buying a car and giving parties to his friend, this Abu Dhabi-based Indian expat hasn’t splurged on anything else. After the unexpected windfall, he decided not to spend big for the first six months.

“My winning money is still in the ICU,” Kumar, who hails from Kerala, chuckled during a gathering of Big Ticket draw winners.

“I had seen many people spend lavishly, and their lives went out of control. I will be spending but as per need. I am not going to splurge.”

Kumar has spent 36 years in the UAE and has been buying tickets for the past 25 years. And the investments made in buying tickets have been handsomely rewarded. In 1998, he won Big Ticket’s grand prize and got lucky a few times with Mashreq Bank’s monthly draws too.

“In 1998, while flying out from the Abu Dhabi airport, I saw the Big Ticket counter. Back then a ticket was available for Dh100. I had Dh120 with me. I bought a ticket and won. From Mashreq, I won smaller amounts like Dh10,000 and Dh40,000.”

After working for 28 years at a state-owned firm, he plans to spend his retirement days doing farming at his native place of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

“I like farming. I have finalised a place in Thiruvananthapuram. I wish to stay engaged in my retired life. It would be the best activity to stay active. Afterwards, it’s up to my two children if they wish to continue the farm,” said Kumar, who plans to return to Kerala early next year.

Kumar, who attended the event with his wife Mini, will continue to purchase Big Tickets.

“I am hoping to win again. I will keep buying tickets even after moving to Kerala,” Kumar added.

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