An Indian expat who has lived in the UAE for more than three decades has won AED 5 million (around ₹12.9 crore) in the UAE Lottery.
Kishore Pandurang Rao, who first arrived in the UAE in 1993, won second prize in the Lucky Day draw held on October 3, the Gulf News reported. He received the life-changing news just five days before his 60th birthday.
Rao purchased his winning ticket for Dh50 (nearly ₹1,300) through the UAE Lottery platform, opting for the Easy Pick feature that automatically generated his numbers. He matched all six numbers in the “Days” section to secure the Dh5 million prize.
The Sharjah-based resident initially struggled to believe that he had won after seeing his name reported in the news. He later checked his account to confirm the result. “I saw my name in the news, but I couldn’t believe it was me. Then I checked my account and realised it was true!” he said earlier, as quoted by Gulf News.
{{/usCountry}}The Sharjah-based resident initially struggled to believe that he had won after seeing his name reported in the news. He later checked his account to confirm the result. “I saw my name in the news, but I couldn’t believe it was me. Then I checked my account and realised it was true!” he said earlier, as quoted by Gulf News.
{{/usCountry}}Rao said that he did not immediately share the news of his lottery win with his family, choosing to keep it to himself initially. He eventually told his wife, who was delighted by the unexpected announcement. The couple decided to share the news only with a small circle of people as they took time to process the life-changing development.
When asked who he most wanted to share the moment with, he said his wife. “Together, we share our ups and downs. Now this opportunity has come, so I have to share it with her, and my children,” he said.
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What are his plans after the lottery win?
Rao shared that one of his biggest priorities now is bringing his family together in the UAE and spending more time with them. He also hopes to fulfil his dream of travelling to different countries with his wife, who shares his interest in exploring new destinations.
“My goal is that I have to travel around the world,” he said, adding, “I have to see those places with my wife, because she is fond of traveling as well.”
Rao said he is taking his time to consider his plans and how best to use the money to benefit his family.
Golden visa dream
According to a report by Khaleej Times, Rao has lived in Dubai, Ajman, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi over the years. He hopes to use his winnings to explore new opportunities while continuing his life in the country he has called home for decades. He said the unexpected windfall has also given him an opportunity to pursue a long-held ambition of obtaining a UAE Golden Visa.
“I always hoped that one day I would get a Golden Visa. I kept thinking that one day I'd get one. Now I have a chance to apply for a Golden Visa, and that's something I'd really like,” he said.
While celebrating his win and approaching his 60th birthday, Rao also emphasised the importance of setting spending limits when participating in lottery games. “Everyone should know their own limits. They should set a limit on how much they spend,” he said.