Dubai: Indian expat wins Dh25,000 'second salary' for 25 years with Emirates draw

A 33-year old Indian expatriate, who has been working as an architect and interior designer in Dubai for five years, felt he could retire early after winning Dh25,000 monthly for the next 25 years from Emirates Draw.

"I feel I have retired early," said Mohammed Adil Khan, who works at a real estate company in Dubai. “This is the first time I have participated in the draw, where I became the lucky winner.”

Khan, hailing from Azamgarh in India, was resting after work, was surprised when he received a congratulatory email, informing him about his unexpected windfall. “The initial shock turned into excitement when I received the mail," he said.

“When I received a call from the organisers, I was way too overwhelmed. I couldn’t believe it and feel like I can retire and my future is secure,” said Khan.

Khan has a family of eight back home that is dependent on him. “My brother was working in Saudi Arabia and passed away due to Covid. I have my own family, his family and my parents to take care of. I am the only breadwinner for the entire family,” said Khan.

Khan has taken up the responsibility of his nephews and will enrol them in school here in the UAE. “This winning is not just mine. Possible due to prayers of every single one in my family, the Almighty God has favoured his blessings on us,” said Khan, adding that the winning will also be going to friends and extended family, welfare and charity.

Speaking on how he would spend his winnings, Khan said he wants to bring his family to the UAE. “I have to be very careful in how I spend the amount. I have not planned anything yet," he said.

Khan will not be leaving his job and he will continue to fulfil his goal. “This is just my second income and I love my work. I want to learn and contribute to the fullest.”

Khan, a family man with a five-year-old son faced many hardships in his upbringing. However, his drive to make a positive change in his community fuelled him. His strong commitment to education and his helping nature led him to assist his classmates in their studies, earning him the respect of his village. Noticing his potential, his well-off relatives funded his higher education.

His professional journey took him from Saudi Arabia to Dubai in 2018. Despite earning a modest income, Khan stayed true to his values, regularly contributing to charities. He firmly believed in giving back to society and helping those less privileged. “I cannot leave behind my friends and extended family. They have helped me a lot in every step of my life. I had to borrow money for my education from my extended family,” said Khan.

Khan was deeply concerned for his beloved family, especially his ageing parents, knowing they would be in a vulnerable position after the loss of his brother. With emotions running high, he expressed, "Life is very unpredictable. Earlier, I wished to be united with my family here in the UAE and it became a necessity after losing my brother. Although I missed them, financially it was not possible to have them live here with me and now I can have them here,” said Khan.

When asked about his strategy in selecting his winning numbers and advice for other participants, Khan humbly mentioned, “I picked my numbers randomly. Most importantly, one must be in it to win it.”

Emirates Draw launched its FAST5 game nearly 8 weeks ago which offers participants the fastest route to winning with a single Dh25 ticket. Participants not only compete for the impressive grand prize of Dh25,000 every month for the next 25 years, but three participants can also win substantial amounts of Dh75,000, Dh50,000, and Dh25,000 each in the raffle draw.

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