Indian expat wins $1 million in Duty Free draw
Luxury cars and superbike awarded in latest airport draws
DUBAI – A Dubai-based Indian expatriate has become the latest millionaire created by Dubai Duty Free after winning $1 million in the retailer’s flagship Millennium Millionaire promotion.
The draw, held on Wednesday at Concourse C of Dubai International Airport, also produced a remarkable twist as two previous winners returned to claim major prizes once again in the Finest Surprise promotion.
For 42-year-old Gaurav Madaan, the win marked the end of a journey that began more than five years ago. The compliance officer, who purchased his winning ticket online on May 20, secured the top prize in Millennium Millionaire Series 545 with ticket number 2916.
Dream realised
Madaan, an Indian national originally from Sonipat, Delhi, has been living in Dubai since 2023. A father of one, he works for a French company based in the emirate and described the win as the fulfilment of a long-held ambition.
“Thank you Dubai Duty Free! You have fulfilled my dream,” he said after learning of his victory.
The newly crowned millionaire has already mapped out his next move, revealing plans to invest the money in property in Dubai.
His success also adds another milestone to the promotion’s history. Madaan is the 277th Indian national to win $1 million through the Millennium Millionaire scheme since its launch in 1999. According to Dubai Duty Free, Indian nationals remain the largest group of ticket purchasers in the long-running promotion.
Luxury prizes
The celebrations continued with the Finest Surprise draw, where three luxury vehicles found new owners.
Sharif Abdulla Alulama, a 60-year-old Emirati retiree based in Dubai, won a Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 4M in Metallic Paint Obsidian through the DDF-AMEX co-branded promotion. Winning with ticket number 1195 in Finest Surprise Series 1954, the father of two credited nearly two decades of AMEX membership for giving him opportunities to participate in the promotions.
Repeat success
Among the standout stories was that of Kapil Bhatia, a 44-year-old Dubai resident who secured a Land Rover Defender 110 V8 Ultimate Edition P525 in Carpathian Grey.
Bhatia’s victory in Finest Surprise Series 1955 was his second major win with Dubai Duty Free. He previously drove away with a Range Rover Sport Dynamic HSE P400 in April 2024. This time, his winning ticket number 1026 carried personal significance, combining the birthdays of his wife and son. Bhatia had purchased ten tickets for the draw.
Another repeat winner emerged in the motorcycle category. David Duppa-Miller, a 63-year-old British national based in the UK, won an Aprilia RSV4 1100 in Stingray Blue with ticket number 0976 in Finest Surprise Series 667.
The victory followed his earlier success in February 2026, when he won a BMW F 900 GS motorcycle. While Duppa-Miller was unavailable for immediate comment, his latest triumph ensured that the day’s draws featured not only a newly minted millionaire but also two winners proving that lightning can, indeed, strike twice.